Travis County Jury Returns $5 Million Verdict for 75-Year-Old Austin Woman Injured in Dog Attack

On May 7, a Travis County jury returned a $5 million verdict for a 75-year-old Austin woman who suffered devastating injuries after a dog attacked her while she was walking on a public sidewalk in Austin’s Rosedale neighborhood.

Austin personal injury trial lawyer Courtney Dibrell Graham obtained a verdict of $5 million verdict in Austin, Texas.  Courtney was very grateful to have lawyer Jason Irvin alongside her in trial and she is also deeply grateful for the support and trust of Brad Bonilla throughout the case.

For Courtney, the case was about proving something simple: every person has value, at every age.

Courtney understands what that fight means because her family has lived it. After her mother-in-law, Judy, was killed by a driver in Bastrop, Texas, that tested positive for an illicit substance, Courtney Dibrell Graham represented her own family. She knows what it is like when someone else’s bad decision changes a family’s life — and what it takes to hold them accountable.

Courtney’s personal experience affects the way she represents her clients: she prepares cases to be tried, tells her clients’ stories, and fights to make sure the person behind the claim is never reduced to a small number on an insurance company’s spreadsheet.

At Dibrell Graham Law, PLLC, we’re proud to say we fight like family.

This Verdict proves that life is valuable.

There is an old saying in personal injury cases: older people are not “valuable” plaintiffs.  (No lost wages. Fewer years of life remain. Insurance companies evaluate their claims accordingly.) Courtney Dibrell Graham tried the case to verdict and coordinated the strategy and the team to make it possible.

What Happened to Molly

Molly was 75 years old when she went for a walk through her Austin neighborhood with a friend. As they passed a home in the Rosedale neighborhood, a black Lab mix tethered to the front porch lunged toward them.

The tether was long enough for the dog to cross the yard and reach the public sidewalk.

The dog bit Molly on the thigh and knocked her onto the concrete, fracturing her femur.

Animal Control had previously warned the dog owner that the tether needed to be shortened so the dog could not reach people using the public sidewalk.

Molly required emergency surgery for her fractured hip. The injury changed the remainder of her life.She lived for more than two years after the attack—850 days—dealing with its consequences before she passed away. Molly’s incredible daughter carried the case forward on her mother’s behalf.

Why This Austin Dog Attack Case Matters

At trial, the jury heard the evidence about what happened to Molly, the prior Animal Control warning, the severity of her injuries, and what the attack took from her during the final years of her life.

The jury returned a $5,000,000 verdict.

The verdict sent an important message: a person’s life does not become less valuable simply because he or she is older.

Molly mattered. Her independence mattered. Her pain mattered. And the years she had left mattered.

Taking Serious Injury Cases to Trial No Matter How Sophisticated the Other Side is

Courtney Dibrell Graham believes defendants and insurance companies should be held accountable when their choices seriously injure another person.

Some cases can be resolved fairly without a trial. Others cannot.

When an insurance company or defendant refuses to recognize the full impact of an injury, Courtney is prepared to put the evidence before a jury and ask that jury to determine the value of what was taken.

This verdict was the result of a true team effort. Courtney Dibrell Graham tried the case on behalf of Bonilla Law Firm, with Jason Irvin beside her at trial, and with the support and blessing of Brad Bonilla.

The trial team is grateful to Judge Daniella Lyttle and her staff for maintaining a fair and disciplined courtroom and to the twelve Travis County citizens who gave the case the careful attention Molly and her family deserved.

Austin Personal Injury Lawyer for Serious and Catastrophic Injury Cases

Dibrell Graham Law represents people and families throughout Austin, Bastrop, Burnet, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Central Texas who have been seriously injured by Big Companies.

Courtney handles cases involving:

• 18-wheeler and commercial truck crashes
• Company vehicle collisions
• Serious car crashes
• Dog bites and dog attacks
• Dangerous property and premises liability
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death

Courtney Dibrell Graham is a fourth-generation Texas trial lawyer who represents injured people and families when the stakes are high.

Injured in Austin or Central Texas? Talk to Courtney Dibrell Graham.

If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury or died from a dog attack, 18-wheeler crash, commercial vehicle collision, or another preventable incident, Courtney would be honored to talk with you about what happened.

Consultations are free. You pay no attorney’s fees unless we win.  We make sure our clients interests are first.

Contact Dibrell Graham Law to speak with Texas personal injury trial lawyer about your case.

Because it’s personal.

Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Each case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.