A brutal dog attack has led to a high-stakes legal battle in Harris County, Texas. On June 21, 2024, Neam Cing filed a complaint against Sonia and Rafael Pineda in the District Court of Harris County, alleging that their dogs attacked her in her own backyard. The plaintiff is seeking over $1,000,000 in damages for the injuries sustained.
According to the court documents filed by Cing, she was watering her plants on June 18, 2024, when three dogs owned by the Pinedas escaped from their yard and violently attacked her. "Plaintiff managed to make it inside her home before losing consciousness," the complaint states. The attack left Cing with deep puncture wounds on her lower leg, requiring emergency medical treatment including stitches and precautionary vaccinations.
Cing's lawsuit claims that the Pinedas were negligent in handling their animals. The plaintiff asserts that the defendants knew their dogs had a propensity to be vicious but failed to take necessary precautions to restrain them. "Defendants breached the duty they owed Plaintiff by failing to keep their dogs confined to a secure space," reads one part of the complaint. Furthermore, Cing accuses the Pinedas of gross negligence for consciously disregarding the safety and welfare of others despite being aware of the substantial risk posed by their dogs.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for medical expenses incurred and expected future costs, physical pain and suffering both past and future, mental anguish, loss of wage-earning capacity, disfigurement, and property damage. Additionally, punitive damages are sought as a deterrent against future negligence by the defendants.
Represented by attorneys Justin A. Hill, Sara Neil Stribling, and Gabriel A. Narvaez from Hill Law Firm in San Antonio, Texas, Cing has also requested a jury trial for this case (Case ID: 2024-39437). The presiding judge will be assigned from Judicial District Court 201.