by John Darer® CLU ChFC MSSC RSP
A black Labrador retriever owned by New York City power couple Stuart Parr and Allison Sarofim has given new meaning to word “hand trained”. According to the New York Post, a woman who was bitten by the pair’s black Labrador Retriever, Babu, is suing them for $200,000.
The incident occurred when Parr, a film producer and gallery owner; Sarofim, an actress; his daughter and Babu were on holiday at the exclusive Little Nell Hotel in Aspen, Colo. The dog-bite victim, Beth Fischer, alleges in her lawsuit that she was walking around the grounds when the dog, being walked by Parr’s daughter, “lunged” at her and clamped down on her left hand.
The suit also notes that after the bite occurred, Parr’s daughter pulled Babu away and told Fischer that the Lab was a “bad dog.” Fischer stated that the injury inflicted by Babu needed several surgeries and resulted in a staph infection.
Black labs happen to be my favorite breed of dog. The always seem happy, energetic and playful. They make great companions, but when I was a teenager I witnessed “Bruiser” , a neighbor’s lab, bite into and shake a Pekingnese like it was a rag doll. The Peke survived.
When I first started in the structured settlement business some industry colleagues were dismissive of dog bite cases as small affairs. I’ve not taken that approach. Some dog bite cases carry significant price tags , particularly if there has been lifetime scarring or even fatalities in some cases. I’ve seen dog bite cases where a child’s face has been bitten and it’s not pretty. Applications for homeowners insurance routinely inquire about pets and there’s a reason for it.
A structured settlement is a good way to make the most of a dog bite settlement. Here is some more information on Structured Settlements and Settlement Planning for Children and MInors.
And as to you Babu, no more “Hummus Sapiens”!
Leave a Reply