B.C. woman awarded $420K after off-leash dog attack

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ordered the owner of an off-leash dog to pay $420,000 in total damages to a woman whose injuries ended her nursing career.

Kaarina Schrott, 46, a licensed practical nurse, was awarded $392,000 in damages plus $19,000 in court costs. The owner, Jocelyn Gaetan Roger, has also been ordered to reimburse the province $9,000 in covered medical costs.

In December 2020, Schrott was jogging on a foot path in Vernon when a large off-leash dog approached from a nearby truck and attacked her. The dog bit her elbow, shook her, and pulled her to the ground. Roger retrieved the dog and drove Schrott to her car. She made it home but had to crawl out of her vehicle and call for help from her husband, who took her to hospital.

Schrott's injuries were severe: a broken lower left leg and torn knee cartilage that left her unable to bear weight. She had surgery two days after the attack. She couldn't walk unassisted for two months and could no longer work at the foot-care clinic she owned—the job required crouching and bending that her knee injury prevented. She eventually sold the business and no longer works.

Roger didn't file a response to the lawsuit or appear in court. Justice Karrie Anne Wolfe ruled that "the defendant's failure to respond means he is deemed to have admitted liability for the incident." Schrott still had to prove the attack caused her injuries, which she did.

The judge awarded $200,000 for lost earnings—equivalent to three years' salary for a licensed practical nurse. Additional sums covered pain and suffering, future medical costs, physiotherapy, and medical equipment like a knee brace. Before the attack, Schrott enjoyed jogging, skiing, camping, and gardening, and was active in her children's lives. "The evidence indicates Ms. Schrott's physical limitations continue to impact her relationships and lifestyle," Wolfe wrote.