A Letter to Other Moms
From a mother whose daughter was bitten by a dog
My daughter was bitten by a dog in September 2008 at a family gathering. I remember every painful detail—the struggle to keep her sutures moist so they wouldn’t scab, the guilt of not preventing the injury, and the heartache of trying to decide what was best for her future.
As a single mother, I held in my tears until she was asleep. Then I would fall apart—alone, afraid, and unsure of what to do. I spent hours researching dog bite cases, learning how insurance companies work, and trying to figure out what was right. I had no one to guide me. It felt like my daughter’s future rested entirely on me making the right decisions.
“The insurance adjuster’s job is to settle for as little as possible. They don’t care about your child.”
When I spoke with Attorney Ken Phillips, he asked me one question that changed everything:
“While you’re thinking about your family and how you don’t want to upset them, who’s thinking about your daughter? Who has her best interests in mind?”
He was right. I had been trying to do what was right for everyone—especially a family that turned against me the moment I stood up for my daughter. But I wasn’t fighting them. I was fighting to protect her future.
I never had the dog put down. Some might disagree with that choice, but I didn’t want that on my conscience.
“Many parents don’t realize they have a say in what happens to the dog.”
And I understood something else:
“Insurance exists for a reason – to take care of someone who is hurt, especially if they are family.”
I have coverage on my home and car in case I hurt someone. That’s what insurance is for—to take care of the people who are hurt when something goes wrong.
Is it only to take care of strangers? Of course not!
I never sued my relatives. They still have their home. Their wages were never garnished. Nothing financial ever happened to them.
The lawsuit was against the insurance company—the same one that had been taking their premiums for years. But my family didn’t see it that way. To them, “family doesn’t sue family.”
“That wasn’t fair. My daughter was the only real victim. She will carry a scar for life.”
If I had done what my family wanted and settled for a fraction of what she deserved, no one would have truly been looking out for her.
“Moms, you are your child’s only advocate.”
Ken Phillips and his team gave me hope, support, and the reassurance that I wasn’t alone. They made sure we weren’t taken advantage of by an insurance adjuster who saw my daughter as just another claim.
I urge you:
“Step back from the emotions and see the bigger picture. True family loves and supports you. They understand that you are a parent first.”
Your child needs the best possible chance after something like this.
I can’t describe the peace of mind I have today. I know I made the right decision. I know her settlement is protected in a trust fund—safe from anyone who might try to take it.
“This money won’t erase what happened. But it gives her something she can look forward to—a little light in a dark chapter.”
Every day, I thank God for Ken Phillips. And I’m proud of one thing above all:
“I did the right thing—for the one person who truly mattered. My daughter.”
Sincerely,
