PITTSBURGH – Litigation between an Allegheny County couple and the owners of a German Shepherd dog who allegedly became loose and attacked the wife-plaintiff, causing her serious injuries, has been settled.
Karen P. West and C. Arthur West III of Allegheny County first filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on Sept. 30 versus Jerome Metallo and Cara Metallo of Pittsburgh.
“On May 2, 2019 at approximately 8:30 a.m., plaintiff Karen P. West was walking on the Virginia Avenue Extension in O’Hara Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The German Shepherd owned by and/or in the care, custody and/or control of defendants left their property/premises and entered the Virginia Avenue Extension,” the suit stated.
“The German Shepherd then attacked plaintiff Karen P. West, biting her and causing her to suffer severe, serious and/or permanent injuries and/or scarring. As a direct and proximate result of the aforementioned incident, plaintiff Karen P. West was caused to suffer severe and serious injuries, some and/or all of which may be permanent.”
Among the injuries West suffered were a bite/puncture wound to the back of her right thigh, right leg pain, swelling and/or tenderness, right leg ecchymosis and//or hematoma, nerve damage with residual numbness and/or a lack of sensation, plus post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, flashbacks and/or sleep deprivation.
According to the plaintiffs, the defendants failed to supervise the dog, failed to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others, failed to properly train the dog, failed to have the dog collared, leashed, muzzled or otherwise restrained and violated the Pennsylvania Dog Law.
UPDATE
It was announced on Oct. 21 by plaintiff counsel Anthony J. Erlain that the case had been settled. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
“Kindly mark the within matter settled and discontinued as to defendants Jerome Metallo and Cara Metallo,” Erlain said.
Prior to settlement and for counts of negligence, negligence per se and/or carelessness and loss of consortium, the plaintiffs were seeking damages, jointly and severally, in excess of $35,000, plus interest, costs of suit and a trial by jury.
The plaintiffs were represented by Anthony J. Erlain of CEA Law, in Allison Park.
The defendants were represented by Cara L. Chromiak of William J. Ferren & Associates, in Hartford, Conn.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-010416
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com