Q: Am I responsible for >$15,000 vet bill when my dog bit another dog?
The dog I recently adopted attacked a smaller dog while on a walk in public and the owners are making me pay >$15,000 in vet bills and threatened to sue if I didn't. I don't have any money and my renter's insurance doesn't cover dog attacks. Am I fully responsible for paying this much if the owners consented to the additional surgeries with poor prognosis? Or would it be considered damage to property and only be responsible for the "market price" of the dog?
A:
Your are liable if you were negligent in failing to control your dog. You don't describe how the attack happened, which dog was the aggressor, etc., but it sounds like it was your dog, which will probably make you at fault. You can be sued for the >$15k, but that would require an attorney who would either take a contingency fee percentage, or charge by the hour, resulting in a far lesser sum in the owner's pocket. The owner could also sue you in Small Claim for up to $10k. Attorneys are not allowed in Small Claims.
Your liability is going to be limited to "reasonable costs". California's jury instruction on this issue is here: https://www.justia.com/trials-litigation/docs/caci/3900/3903o/
Whether a judge would conclude that >$15k, or $10k, is "reasonable" will depend on the judge, the treatment, the prognosis, whether the costs are considered "reasonable" in the community for the care that was rendered, the age and nature of the injured dog (pet, aged, show dog), etc.
Your best option may be to file for bankruptcy.
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