Our client was walking her dog through the parking garage of her Alexandria apartment building when another resident lost control of his dog. The dog ran over excitedly, apparently trying to greet our client and her dog, but in the process knocked her to the ground. The fall caused fractures to her sacrum, the lower portion of the spine. Security footage from the apartment building captured the incident and helped establish exactly what happened.
Although the dog was not acting aggressively and there was no bite, the injuries were significant. The claim was ultimately resolved for the full $100,000 policy limit available under the dog owner’s renters insurance. This case is a reminder that even a friendly or excited dog can unintentionally cause a serious injury and that renters or homeowners insurance may provide coverage when that happens.
