>> Announcer: Ryan Kotzin
is suing his neighbor,
Joyce Tung-Yeh,
for medical bills
after her dog
bit him in the face.
>> Judge Judy: Mr. Kotzin,
on what day were you being
a good Samaritan, sir?
>> July 25th.
>> Judge Judy: Where did this
happen and what time of day?
>> It happened by my house
in Northridge.
Um, it was around the afternoon.
>> Judge Judy: Tell me
what happened.
>> Okay. So I was driving home.
I just had picked up some food.
And I'm driving through
my neighborhood.
I see a dog walking across
the street
without an owner or a leash.
So I pulled over.
>> Judge Judy: What kind of dog?
>> Uh, it looked like
a little poodle.
>> Judge Judy: How big?
>> Maybe 15 pounds.
>> Judge Judy: What color?
>> White.
>> Judge Judy: Anybody else
on the street?
>> No.
But there were cars driving by.
>> Judge Judy: So you
pulled over?
>> I pulled over.
I was concerned for the animal.
>> Judge Judy: And what
did you do?
>> And I --
I got out of the car.
Um, I walked up to the dog.
It seemed friendly enough.
As I went up to it,
I got to pet it.
It seemed really friendly.
Uh, I reached down
to look at the collar.
And that's when it jumped up
and bit and latched on
to my cheek
and, uh, violently shook.
So I -- I pushed it off me.
And I chased it.
And it ran into a garage.
So I figured
it must be the owner's.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
When you saw it go
into the garage,
what did you do next?
>> My first instinct was,
"Okay. This must be the house."
So I went and got something
to cover my face
'cause I was bleeding.
>> Judge Judy: You went back
to your car?
>> Mm-hmm.
And then I went to the door
and knocked on Joyce's door.
She answered.
>> Judge Judy: Did you know
her before?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Okay. And?
>> And, uh, she answered.
And I had my hand on my chin.
And I said,
"Did you lose your dog?"
And she said,
"Yes. Did you find him?"
I said, "Yeah.
He's in your garage.
And he bit my face."
And she said,
"Marshmallow bit your face?"
And I said, "Yes.
Marshmallow bit my face."
>> Judge Judy: That's why
we're here.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
You want the defendant
to be responsible
for your medical bills.
>> Yes. And she did say
that she would pay for them.
>> Judge Judy: Okay.
When did you notice
your dog missing?
>> The --
>> Judge Judy: When that day
did you notice your dog missing?
I noticed my dog was missing.
I didn't let him out.
>> Judge Judy: What time
did you no--
>> The --
>> Judge Judy: I said when --
>> I don't remember.
Maybe 10 --
10, 15 minutes
after the contractor arrived.
>> Judge Judy: You were at home?
>> I was at home.
>> Judge Judy: And what time did
the contractor arrive,
morning, afternoon?
>> Uh, uh, early --
early afternoon.
>> Judge Judy: When you noticed
your dog missing,
what did you do?
>> I went out to look for him.
>> Judge Judy: And did you
find him?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Did you call
the police?
Did you notify animal control?
>> No.
>> Judge Judy: Why not?
>> Because in the past
when we were in Orange County,
gardener will forget
to close the gate.
The dog will go out.
And he will come back.
>> Judge Judy: That's exactly
what I wanted you to hear --
>> So --
>> Judge Judy: Out there.
Well, so this has happened
to you before.
And the dog always came back.
>> Correct.
>> Judge Judy: Well,
that can't happen.
So you're on notice
that your dog gets out.
And if I believe the story,
it was the contractor
who let the dog out.
You can't let your dog out.
I actually... You know, I said,
"Well, you know, if this was
the first time this happened
and she immediately reported it
to the police and it
had never happened before"...
But evidently,
this is an occurrence
that happens frequently.
>> No. No. No. Not frequently.
>> Judge Judy: How infrequently?
>> Maybe once in Orange County.
>> Judge Judy: I don't believe
you. You have to pay
for his medical bills.
Can I see 'em, please?
>> Yes, of course.
Um, maybe
I'll just give you everything.
>> Byrd: No, no, no, no.
>> No?
>> Byrd: Just the medical.
>> Yeah.
>> Judge Judy: You have a dog.
You're supposed to keep your dog
in your house,
under your control --
or under your control
at all times.
>> But I didn't let the dog out.
>> Judge Judy: I don't care
if you let the dog out.
It's your dog.
I don't care who let
the dog out.
Somebody who you allowed
into your house let the dog out.
And the dog's been
let out before,
and I guarantee you
more than once.re your
out-of-pocket expenses, sir?
>> $386.07.
>> Judge Judy: Do you have
photographs of your injury?
>> I do.
>> Judge Judy: I'd like to take
a look at them.
Why didn't you pay
his medical bills?
>> I asked to see the receipts.
He never gave me the receipts.
>> Judge Judy: When did you ask
for the receipts?
>> Oh, a long way --
When he contacted...
He first contacted
the animal shelter.
And the inspector came out
to inspect my house.
Nothing found wrong.
And then --
>> Judge Judy: Listen to me.
Your answer is ridiculous.
Your answer first denies
that it was your dog
'cause your dog
was in the garage when you left.
When you saw it --
>> My dog was in the garage
next time I saw him.
>> Judge Judy: Yeah.
Well, but that suggests
that it was somebody else's dog.
It wasn't somebody else's dog.
It was your dog.
"Ryan must have seen
a small stray dog
that he stupidly decided
to pick up since a small dog
can't jump 6 feet in the air
and bite him in the face."
Well, if you're trying to look
and see
where the dog comes from,
if it's a stray dog,
and it's got a collar,
you have to bend down and look
at the collar
to see the name on the collar.
Doesn't that make sense to you?
>> It does.
>> Judge Judy: All right. Okay.
It makes more sense
than your answer. Okay.
Your expenses are about $400.
And I'm awarding you another
$600 for pain and suffering.
Judgment for the plaintiff
in the amount of $1,000.
We're done here.
You should have paid
the medical bills on time.