Attorney Kimberly Doucher said her client James Bright and his family filed a lawsuit against the city of Delaware for damages after he was attacked.
Bright said that he was left with almost hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses after he was attacked by five dogs.
Bright’s family filed a lawsuit against the city of Delaware to pay for his medical bills, 10TV’s Kevin Landers reported.
“The system failed Jim Bright and everyone else in Delaware,” Bright’s attorney Kimberley Doucher said.
According to the lawsuit, the system failed in dealing with the owner of the dogs, Virgil Mitchell.
The lawsuit claimed that the city knew three years prior to Bright’s attack about the dangers Mitchell’s dogs posed.
“They knew the dogs were vicious, they knew that they were running on a regular basis,” Doucher said. “They were not being kept confined. They knew that Mitchell wasn’t supposed to have them to begin with.”
In 2008, the health department sent a letter to the city prosecutor at the time, Peter Ruffing. The letter outlined concerns about several “dog bite reports” related to Mitchell’s dogs.
“We need your help in prosecuting Mr. Mitchell to at least get the dogs vaccines up to date,” the letter said.
In 2008, the health department sent a letter to the city prosecutor at the time, Peter Ruffing. The letter outlined concerns about several “dog bite reports” related to Mitchell’s dogs.
“We need your help in prosecuting Mr. Mitchell to at least get the dogs vaccines up to date,” the letter said.
The lawsuit also claims that in 2009 the city “left entirely vacant” the job of community service officer, equivalent to the city’s dog warden.
“The city of Delaware cared so precious little about dogs running large they didn’t bother to have the position filled,” Doucher said.
Representatives from the city of Delaware did not comment on the lawsuit but said that they planned to file a legal response in December.
Mitchell’s dogs were euthanized after they attacked Bright.
(10tv - November 18, 2011)
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