NY Film Producer Stuart Parr Named in Dog Bite Suit
A woman has named film producer Stuart Parr in a dog bite lawsuit along with an Aspen hotel. Parr, his girlfriend Allison Sarofim, and his juvenile daughter were staying at The Little Nell with their black Labrador, Babu, when the incident occurred.
Though on a leash, the dog allegedly "lunged" at Beth Fischer and bit her left hand. She's had to undergo multiple surgeries, one of which left her with a staph infection. She's asking for medical costs, lost wages and other damages.
Fischer claims Stuart Parr knew Babu had a propensity towards violence, reports The Aspen News. His daughter responded to the incident by telling Fischer that Babu was a "bad dog." If true, Parr may be liable for punitive damages. Pet owners are generally expected to exercise more caution when they know their animals are possibly dangerous.
As for the hotel, it was also named in the Stuart Parr dog bite lawsuit because of its involvement in Babu's care. The dog was being housed and supervised by the hotel's pet-sitting service, explains the paper. The suit claims employees had learned that Babu was unruly, and therefore should have ensured that he was accompanied by an adult at all times.
Either that, or they should have removed him from the premises.
This claim, which is based on negligence, is going to be much more difficult to win. There's little doubt Stuart Parr is responsible for the dog bite -- he owns Babu. But it's arguable that the hotel didn't have any special duty to watch Babu while he was in the care of his owners.
Related Resources:
- Woman sues couple, Aspen Skiing Co. over dog bite (Associated Press)
- Dog Bites and Animal Attack Overview (FindLaw)
- Top 5 Dog Bite Prevention Tips for Owners, Parents, and Kids (FindLaw's Injured)
