Jennifer’s* day at the veterinary clinic began like any other. She walked into an exam room to have a dog owner sign paperwork. That’s when everything changed.
Without warning, the boxer awaiting treatment violently attacked Jennifer, biting her repeatedly on her dominant right arm. As she fought to break free, she forcefully yanked her arm back. Sadly, her desperate attempt at escape only contributed to more traumatic injuries.
What began as a routine part of the job she loved turned into a traumatic event leading to a long, painful recovery. Jennifer was left with numerous puncture wounds, lacerations, and hematomas throughout her right forearm and upper arm, along with injuries that required major neck and shoulder surgeries. The visible wounds were only the beginning of the physical and emotional toll the attack would take on her life.
Injuries Far Beyond the Dog Bite Wounds
Jennifer’s injuries did not end with the wounds on her arm. The traumatic attack caused a complete tear of her right rotator cuff and serious cervical spine injuries, including C5-C7 disc herniations and myelopathy.
She underwent two major surgeries: a C5-C7 anterior cervical discectomy and fusion to address her neck injuries, followed by right shoulder arthroscopy with rotator cuff repair, subacromial decompression, and biceps tenodesis. After surgery, Jennifer completed extensive physical therapy to regain movement, strength, and function in her shoulder and neck.
Even with excellent medical treatment, her recovery has been difficult. Jennifer was unable to work for six months. When she returned, she could only preform light duty and was left with permanent restrictions, including a 25-pound lifting limit. She received a 26% permanent impairment rating to the whole person.
For someone whose work involved caring for animals, the changes were especially painful. Jennifer struggled with typing, using a computer mouse, gripping objects, and lifting or carrying furry patients. At home, ordinary tasks like washing her hair, getting dressed, cutting food, opening bottles, carrying groceries, and vacuuming became exhausting and painful.
Living with Pain, Weakness, and an Uncertain Future
Jennifer continues to live with pain that ranges from moderate to severe. She describes it as constant, sore, sharp, burning, throbbing, and radiating. Numbness and tingling in her right hand, fingers, and arm became more persistent over time, while weakness caused her to drop objects and struggle to maintain a grip.
The effects went beyond her arm and neck, too. She has experienced difficulty with her balance, stumbling, fatigue, and trouble sleeping because of pain, particularly when lying on her right side. At times, she needed medication just to help her rest.
The attack also changed Jennifer’s social life and emotional well-being. She struggles with increased stress, anxiety, and depression. Her chronic pain has limited her independence and changed the way she lives her life since it interferes with her day-to-day activities, responsibilities, and relationships.
As Jennifer faced mounting medical needs, time away from work, and uncertainty about her future, she turned to Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers for help. While her workers’ compensation claim was ongoing, Attorney Eliza Beck pursued a third-party personal injury claim against the dog’s owner and insurers, working to secure compensation beyond the benefits available through workers’ compensation.
Attorney Eliza Beck Built a Case the Defense Could Not Ignore
Jennifer’s case required more than documenting the severity of her injuries. The defense tried to rely on the idea that, because Jennifer worked as a veterinary technician, she assumed the risk of being bitten by a dog.
Attorney Beck knew that was not a valid answer under South Carolina dog-bite law. Under the state’s strict-liability statute, the available defenses are limited. Since the defense had not alleged provocation or trespassing, they were left without a viable legal defense to counter Jennifer’s claim.
Backed by her extensive trial experience, Attorney Beck made it clear to the defense that Jennifer was prepared to take the case as far as necessary. Beck maintained that if the insurers did not tender the full available policy limits, the case would move forward with a formal life care plan documenting Jennifer’s future needs. That evidence would have increased the value of Jennifer’s claim beyond the available coverage and created substantial bad-faith exposure for the insurers.
Attorney Beck’s strategy was direct: fully document Jennifer’s past and future medical needs, establish the strength of the law, and make it clear that a settlement offer below the policy limits would not be enough.
Protecting Jennifer’s Future Medical Needs
Attorney Beck did not stop after Jennifer’s medical treatment through workers’ compensation ended. Once the workers’ comp case was complete, she helped Jennifer establish care with a pain management physician for ongoing treatment.
She also returned to Jennifer’s workers’ compensation surgeon and obtained medical support for the likelihood that Jennifer could need additional surgery at adjacent levels of her cervical spine in the future. Attorney Beck documented those future medical concerns through a medical questionnaire, helping ensure the full scope of Jennifer’s long-term needs was recognized.
In addition, the workers’ compensation carrier agreed to waive its approximate $200,000 lien. That result helped protect more of Jennifer’s recovery for the medical care and support she will continue to need.
Don’t Settle for Less Than You Deserve
Jennifer’s case demonstrates that recovering after a serious injury involves far more than reaching a settlement. It requires careful planning, thorough preparation, and an attorney who understands how today’s decisions can affect your future.
At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping injured South Carolinians since 1968. Whether you’ve been hurt in a dog attack, a motor vehicle collision, a workplace accident, or another act of negligence, we’re prepared to stand by your side and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Disclaimer: Past results do not guarantee future outcomes
*Name of client has been changed for their privacy
