PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia man who launched legal action after a “horror movie-like incident” in which his dog was allegedly attacked by a pair of pit bulls recently settled the case.
On Aug. 3, plaintiff counsel Adam S. Barrist filed a praecipe with the Court to have the prothonotary mark the instant matter as “settled, discontinued and ended, with each party to bear its respective costs.”
Jan Koziara of Philadelphia first filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on June 14 versus Eda Coviello and Christopher Coviello of Montville, N.J. and A Place For Rover, Inc. (doing business as “Rover.Com”) of Seattle, Wash.
“On May 6, 2018, at or around 10:30 a.m., two pit bull dogs owned by the Coviellos, bit, mauled and attempted to kill plaintiff’s much-smaller dog 'Chief,' who weighed 35 pounds. At the time of the attack, the pit bulls were in the permissive custody of ‘Bradley,' a for-hire member of the Rover professional dog-walking network.” the suit stated.
“Such attack occurred in unprovoked fashion, while plaintiff was taking Chief for a routine walk, at or around 46th Street and Osage Avenue in Philadelphia, with plaintiff’s two year-old son. During this attack, the subject pit bulls clamped down with their jaws and did not release their jaws until were physically forced away by shocked bystanders. Plaintiff whisked away his two year-old son just in time for the toddler to avoid meeting a similar fate as Chief.”
According to the lawsuit, Chief was rushed to the nearby University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital, where he was subjected to highly invasive and extensive surgery under general anesthesia, which lasted for several hours. The plaintiff says he has developed post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological trauma and a fear of dogs.
“Further, plaintiff has manifested and continues to manifest consequential adverse psychological symptoms from the horror movie-like incident that he witnessed alongside his young son,” the suit added.
Koziara had accused the Coviello defendants of owning violent pit bull dogs, improperly and negligently trusting them to an unqualified individual and failing to exercise due care under the circumstances. As for Rover, it was accused of negligently hiring and instructing its dog walker and also failing to use due care.
Prior to settlement and for two counts of negligence, the plaintiff was seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs, fees, punitive damages and whatever additional relief that the Court deemed just and appropriate.
The plaintiff was represented by Adam S. Barrist of The Barrist Firm, in Bala Cynwyd.
The defendants were represented by Molly C. Reilly and Susan M. Valinis of Reilly McDevitt Henrich, in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 180601618
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com