Dog attack leaves woman injured, her dog dead

MARTINSBURG -- A Bunker Hill woman has filed suit against a Bunker Hill man, alleging she was seriously injured and her dog was killed after the man's dog attacked them.

Tacie "Annette" Stegall and her miniature Pinscher were leaving her son's home at 175 Longwood Drive to go for a walk when the attack occurred, according to the complaint filed Dec. 27 in Berkeley Circuit Court.

As Stegall and her dog were leaving her son's basement, Joseph W. Peer's Dalmatian "viciously attacked the Plaintiff, Annette Stegall, and her dog, causing the Plaintiff to suffer serious and permanent injuries and killing her dog," the suit states.

The Dalmation was running at large when it attacked Stegall and her dog, she alleges.

Because of the attack, Stegall suffered severe and permanent injuries with permanent disability and has experienced extreme physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life, according to the complaint.

She has also incurred medical expenses in excess of $32,000 and will probably incur surgical expenses of $4,130 plus medication expenses of $1,500, the suit states.

Stegall has lost income of $29,000 and will incur a yearly future loss of earnings of $16,640, she claims.

Stegall is seeking a judgment in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limit of the Berkeley Circuit Court, plus interest, attorney's fees and costs.

D. Michael Burke of Burke, Schultz, Harman and Jenkinson of Martinsburg will be representing her.

Berekeley Circuit Court case number: 08-C-1431