Dog attack leaves woman catastrophically injured

Action: Negligence

Injuries alleged: Catastrophic lacerations to right arm, dog bites to the ribs, nerve deficits

Case name: Leonard v. Steen et al.

Court/case no.: Stanly County Superior Court/24 CVS 000824-830

Highest offer: $30,000

Amount: $300,000

Date: May 4, 2026

Attorneys: Shelby Gilmer and S. Cramer Lewis of DAS Law Group in Charlotte (for the plaintiff)

On December 31, 2023, the 21-year-old plaintiff approached her neighbor’s front door while searching for her lost dog. She knocked on the storm door with her phone in hand, displaying a photo of her missing pet. Without warning, the defendants’ pitbull mix burst through the storm door and attacked her — first striking her ribs, then seizing her right arm and dragging her toward the back of the property, causing catastrophic lacerations before one of the defendants pulled the dog off.

Weeks earlier, the dog had broken through the same storm door and bitten a DoorDash driver. No fences or warning signs were posted on the property. The defendants alleged the plaintiff opened the storm door herself and attempted to enter — a claim she denied.

The jury found all three defendants liable for owning a vicious animal and for negligence, rejected any contributory negligence by the plaintiff and awarded $300,000. Plaintiff’s expert, Dr. Smiresh Shah, testified to the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries, her lengthy recovery and her resulting scarring and pain and suffering.