A San Francisco resident has filed a lawsuit alleging severe injuries from a dog attack. Michael Collins, the plaintiff, filed the complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco on August 7, 2024, against A Place For Rover, Inc., Tasha Van Der Wort, Shaila Bolger, and unnamed defendants.
According to the court documents, Collins claims that on August 28, 2022, he was walking lawfully on the sidewalk at the intersection of Vallejo Street and Franklin Street in San Francisco when he was attacked by a German Shepherd mix named Chia. The dog was allegedly under the care and control of the defendants at that time. Collins asserts that all defendants were negligent in their handling of Chia and failed to prevent the attack despite knowing or having reason to know about Chia's aggressive tendencies.
The lawsuit details how Collins suffered severe personal injuries and emotional distress due to the attack. He claims he has incurred significant medical expenses for treatments including hospitalization and medication. Furthermore, Collins states that his ability to work and engage in his usual activities has been severely impacted. He is seeking general damages exceeding $25,000 as well as special damages for his medical costs and loss of earnings.
In addition to negligence, Collins also accuses the defendants of strict liability under California Civil Code §3342. This statute holds dog owners liable for damages if their dog bites someone who is lawfully present in a public or private place. The complaint alleges that by failing to control Chia properly, the defendants are legally responsible for Collins' injuries.
The plaintiff is represented by John Fitzpatrick Vannucci from his law offices located in San Francisco. The case is presided over by judges from the Superior Court of California with Case ID CGC-24-617077.