A pack of dogs attacked Amazon delivery driver Jeffery Dawkins at a Tacoma home in May. The mauling left injuries so severe both of the 61-year-old's legs required skin grafts.
Dawkins filed a lawsuit Aug. 17 in Pierce County Superior Court against homeowners Anguiniga Miguel and Mayes Toree, alleging they failed to secure or muzzle dogs they knew to be aggressive, The News Tribune first reported.
The attack happened around 4:40 p.m. on May 6 after Dawkins entered a gated yard in the 1200 block of East 54th Street, according to the lawsuit. As he walked toward the door, five or six dogs came from the side of the house and attacked him.
A neighbor heard the attack and called 911. Dawkins was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.
He lost chunks of flesh on his right leg. Both legs sustained lacerations and puncture wounds. His hands and feet were also injured. Four months later, he still relies on a walker, feels nerve pain and has not returned to work, a Davis Law Group representative said.
Chris Davis, founder of Seattle-based Davis Law Group, which represents Dawkins, said in a statement that his client "was just doing his job, trying to ensure that a package was safely and securely delivered. The suffering he has experienced has been grave, and he is still working to gain normal function back."
The homeowners' attorney, Stephen Lizaola, acknowledged in a Sept. 3 court filing that Dawkins was lawfully on the property but denied the allegations of negligence. Lizaola told The News Tribune he could not comment on pending litigation.
Under Washington state law, a dog owner is liable for bite injuries when the victim is lawfully on private property, regardless of whether the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
The complaint seeks unspecified damages for medical expenses, lost wages, legal fees and other relief. No trial date has been set.
The breeds of the dogs have not been determined. The News Tribune reported that its public records request for the Animal Control report had not been fulfilled as of Sept. 9.
