Sarasota County

(53) DIANE ODEH vs. NORRIS MILLER

County/Docket #/Judge: Sarasota / 2006 CA 000145 NC / Donna P. Berlin

Plaintiff(s) Attorney(s): Thomas Hudson, Sarasota

Defendant(s) Attorney(s): Pro Se

Age/Sex/Occupation Of Plaintiff: 48 / F / Restaurant Server

Cause Of Injury: Dog Bite/Attack on Visitor. Defendant was the owner of a dog that he kept at his residential property on 24^th Street in Sarasota. Plaintiff was an invitee on the property when Defendant’s dog lunged, bit, and attacked Plaintiff on November 2, 2005. Plaintiff testified that she did not see the type of dog because the dog attacked her from behind, and she went into shock.

Nature Of Injury: Bite wounds to right leg and arm; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, which, in this case, is incurable; no surgery was performed; sutures were required. Plaintiff requires ongoing infectious disease treatment at Sarasota Memorial Hospital and Leesburg Regional Medical Center.

Expert Witnesses: n/a

Verdict: $1,500,000 for Plaintiff on August 20, 2008.

Editor's Note: This was a one-day trial. The jury was composed of one male and five females. The jury deliberated for one hour. The court determined that Defendant was legally responsible for the injuries suffered by Plaintiff. This was a trial on damages only.