$300,000 SETTLEMENT IN CHESAPEAKE PIT BULL DOG BITE INJURY

Virginia dog bite lawyer Ed Atkinson secured a policy limit settlement from a homeowner’s insurance policy in a serious dog bite claim in early 2021.  The incident took place in the days following Thanksgiving when a pit bull attacked a woman over a plate of leftovers, causing permanent injury to her face including the loss of an eye.  Multiple surgeries were required at enormous cost.  A major factor in the case was negotiating for a substantial reduction in the client’s health insurance provider’s lien.  Without significant reductions, the client’s medical bills would have devoured all the the proceeds from the homeowner’s policy in question.  This dog bite claim settlement underscores two points.  First, owners of certain dog breeds should be required to carry liability policies in sufficient amount to compensate those injured through negligence.  Second, health insurance companies should be severely limited in their ability to pursue subrogation claims against their own policyholders.