South Carolina man awarded nearly $20K after pit bull attack

BLUFFTON, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina woman has been ordered to pay nearly $20,000 to a man who was attacked by her pit bull.

The Island Packet reports a jury determined Maria Rivera failed to restrain the dog as it attacked Alfredo Cerrato-Ardon outside a complex in Bluffton in February 2016.

The verdict in Cerrato-Ardon’s lawsuit against Rivera came May 19 in the Beaufort Court of Common Pleas.

Thelawsuit says the attack caused serious injuries to several areas of Cerrato-Ardon’s body, including his right upper extremity and right lower extremity, causing pain, medical expenses, lost wages and other damages.

Rivera said Cerrato-Ardon was not attacked, but that her dog bit him on the wrist when Cerrato-Ardon struck him and that she restrained the pit bull.

She was ordered to pay $19,200.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com

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