By: dmc-admin//June 30, 2008//
Summary of the facts: Plaintiff claimed defendant’s dog knocked her to the ground as she walked past defendant’s house on a city sidewalk. Plaintiff did not receive a bite. Defendant’s son claimed he was watching the dog and plaintiff was not present and the dog did not knock anyone down. Defendants took the position that plaintiff was not injured by a dog or that it was not defendants’ dog.
Defendants offered $25,000 at Mediation. Following Mediation, plaintiff submitted a statutory settlement offer of $100,000. Prior to trial, plaintiff died from causes unrelated to her accident-injuries and plaintiff (now the Estate) reduced its demand to $50,000. No offer was made by defendants following plaintiff’s death.