PITTSBURGH – A mail carrier supposedly attacked by a pair of large dogs in the course of his employment duties has initiated legal action against the owners of the dogs, in order to recover damages caused by the injuries he sustained in the attack.
Shawn Clemens and Wanda Clemens of Irwin filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Dec. 8 versus Ira J. Gumberg and Anita P. Courcoulas of Pittsburgh.
According to the lawsuit, the defendants owned at least two dogs believed to be Belgian Malinois, Belgian Shepherds and/or German Shepherds. On Dec. 26, 2015, Clemens was delivering mail near the defendants’ home, when the dogs in question allegedly knocked him to the ground without provocation, attacked, mauled and bit him repeatedly.
The suit states the defendants failed to prevent the dogs from attacking Clemens, failed to confine or properly restrain the dogs and disregarded Clemens’ rights and safety, in addition to other allegations.
Allegedly, as a result of the dog’s attack, Clemens sustained numerous injuries, including deep puncture wounds and lacerations to the right forearm and right leg; right arm, right shoulder and neck pain; C6-C7 cervical disc herniation with right upper extremity radiculopathy requiring surgery; ulnar neuropathy of the right upper extremity requiring right forearm surgery; serious and permanent scarring; contusions of right arm and right leg; shock to the nerves and nervous system; embarrassment, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of pleasure, enjoyment and activity.
For counts of negligence, statutory strict liability, common law strict liability, negligence per se and loss of consortium, the plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of the arbitration limits of Allegheny County, plus compensatory damages, punitive damages, costs and interest.
The plaintiffs are represented by Cindy Stine of Stine & Associates, in Greensburg.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-17-016746
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com