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Alex Trebek Won't Roll Over in Dog Injury Lawsuit

By Christopher Coble, Esq. on October 16, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

In July, a California woman filed a lawsuit against Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, claiming his black dog charged at her and her yellow lab, knocked her into traffic, and caused physical, mental, and emotional pain, worry, and anxiety. Last week, Trebek filed his response, answering the plaintiff's bark with plenty of legal bite.

Trebek denied any liability for the woman's injuries, and instead claimed she "placed herself in a position of danger ... and thereby assumed all the risks." Here's a closer look.

Doggie Daily Double

Hanna Ketai claimed she was walking her dog in Studio City in L.A. when "suddenly and without warning, a large black dog ran through an open gate" -- allegedly from Trebek's residence -- "and charged directly at Ketai and tried to attack her. Ketai screamed and immediately turned to her right in an effort to avoid the attacker, causing her to fall down on her hands and knees in the middle of the street onto oncoming traffic. When Ketai looked up, she saw a large SUV headed in her direction."

Trebek, on the hand, asserts that the woman was never on his property, his dog never bit her, and, in case, any claims are barred by the statute of limitations. (California's statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years.) Trebek's answer to Ketai's complaint claims her "conduct and actions were so careless, reckless and negligent as to cause and contribute in some degree to the alleged incident and to the damages and injuries, if any, alleged to have been sustained by said Plaintiff."

Trebek adds that his dog doesn't have "a propensity to attack other dogs or members of the public," and that Ketai "failed to exercise reasonable care and diligence to mitigate any damages sustained by reason of Defendants' alleged acts."

So, it looks like this legal battle will go down to the final round, and we'll have to see how much each contestant wagered, and if they remembered to give their answers in the form of a question.

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