A 7-year old Queens girl was playing with six of her friends when a neighbor’s dog got loose. The dog then began to jump on the on young children and frightened them.
The young girl took off running down 258th Street and the dog followed her. She was hit by a bus that was making a turn off of Craft Avenue.
As a result of the accident, the girl suffered major injuries.
The girl’s family could file a lawsuit against either or both the dog owner and the owner and operator of the bus if they believe that either party was negligent and responsible for their daughter’s injuries.
The dog owner could be responsible and liable and have liability insurance under his or her homeowners insurance policy which covers them for premises liabilities whether or not the the pet was not properly fenced in the backyard or got loose while being walked, especially if the pet exhibited violent tendencies in the past.
Since the dog went after the children, the dog owner could be responsible because their pet chased the girl into the path of the bus.
There may also be a case filed against the bus driver if he could or should have seen the girl running into the street and did not stop.