GALVESTON - A Houston man's visit to a local body shop in August resulted in the business's security dog inflicting "life-altering" injuries upon him, a $5 million lawsuit filed Oct. 18 in Galveston County District Court says.
The original petition, which targets League City resident Willie Rushing and his dog, claims Wendell Ray Williams was assaulted by the canine at Concourse Body Shop on Aug. 22.
Eva Joyce Williams is also a plaintiff in the case.
"The plaintiffs intend to show that the identified dogs were either improperly trained, improperly secured, negligently leashed and/or had a known propensity to lunge at, attack, run after, maul, bite or otherwise frighten or attack reasonable human beings prior to and/or the time of the events in question," court papers say.
According to Wendell Ray Williams, the dog bit and clawed at him, causing "grave bodily injuries to the nervous system and person."
He additionally insists that he was not an owner, keeper or harborer of the dog in question.
"The plaintiffs will further show that the defendants were duly informed of or made aware of the offending propensities of the dog(s) and failed to take appropriate and/or reasonable steps to correct these conditions," the suit says.
The Harris Law Firm is representing the plaintiffs, and Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Wayne Mallia is presiding over the case.
Case No. 11-cv-1650