Clevy Nelson Injured in Dog Attack Accident in El Paso, TX
El Paso, TX -- December 13, 2022, Clevy Nelson continues to recover from an incident where she was attacked by a group of dogs.
Investigators say the accident happened on November 11. Clevy Nelson was out when a group of 3 pitbulls attacks her. Nelson sustained serious injuries to her leg as a result. Right now, details about potential charges and what happened with the dogs or their owner are unclear.
Commentary on Clevy Nelson Dog Attack in El Paso
It's a shame to see in these recent pieces that the victim is having difficult getting help on her path to recovery. That's something many people find themselves doing following incidents, and dog attacks can be particularly troublesome. One thing that folks call me about a lot is to ask whether or not the owner of the dogs bears any kind of liability besides possible criminal charges. As usual, the answers is that it depends.
Texas has what's called a "One Bite Rule." Essentially, people can't predict what an animal is going to do. Sometimes, well behaved and friendly animals suddenly just lash out for seemingly no reason. For that reason, people aren't generally liable for an isolated incident like that.
But once it is clear the animal is capable of harm, the owner has an enhanced duty to prevent them from attacking anyone. Failure to prevent future incidents could open them up to liability for the resulting injuries.
How all of that would apply here depends on information I don't personally have knowledge of. It's simply best to always take these incidents seriously and ensure there are professionals looking into the best possible avenues to get the victims the help they deserve.
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