Lawsuit: His Dog Bit Woman, He Delayed EMS

A woman who was allegedly attacked and injured by a dog in Enfield (Conn.) has now filed a lawsuit against one of the town’s dispatchers, claiming the dispatcher cancelled an ambulance response to the incident and tried to conceal his ownership of the dog. Debra Lee filed the lawsuit in state Superior Court last month against dispatcher Paul Meunier and the town of Enfield. She asks for unstated damages, costs and attorneys’ fees. According to the lawsuit, Lee was walking along a street in the town when, “the Defendant’s dog ran from Defendant’s premises, crossed the street and attacked the plaintiff.” She suffered serious and permanent injuries to one knee and shoulder, along with “severe mental and physical pain and suffering.” The lawsuit claims someone dialed 911 for help, and that Meunier overheard the call. “Realizing that the call concerned his dog, the Defendant, unilaterally cancelled the ambulance which had already been dispatched,” the lawsuit states. Lee’s medical treatment was delayed “many hours,” the lawsuit says, and the additional time subjected Lee to additional pain and suffering. After the incident, Meunier allegedly changed department records related to the EMS response, and concealed that he owned the dog. Download (pdf) the entire lawsuit here.