Girl in ’99 dog attack sues owners

WARREN — A 19-year-old central Pennsylvania woman has sued a West Farmington couple to recover damages for the injuries she suffered eight years ago when a Rottweiler dog bit her in the face.

Laura Haidet of Moshannon, Pa., filed a lawsuit in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court last week against Gregory M. and Nancy J. Kovalchick of Richards Way.

In the lawsuit, Haidet says she was 11 on July 16, 1999, when she visited the Kovalchick residence on Thompson Clark Road in Bristolville and was playing video games with other children when she was attacked by the Kovalchick’s dog.

The dog attacked without warning or provocation, the lawsuit said.

The result was deep bite wounds to her face, which required 150 stitches to close and a surgery for scar revision. Haidet will require additional surgery to improve the position of her nose cartilage and to reduce the noticeable difference between the right and left side of her nose, the suit said.

The suit seeks more than $25,000 from the Kovalchicks.

The suit was filed by William J. Davis of East Liverpool, who could not be reached to comment further.

The Kovalchicks have an unlisted phone number and could not be reached to comment.

In most bodily injury cases, people have two years after the incident to file legal action in court.

Atty. Rick Bush of Youngstown said the statute of limitations for a case involving a minor, however, tolls from the date the person reaches age 18. Such a person would have two years from their 18th birthday to file a personal injury lawsuit under normal circumstances, Bush said.