Paige Sanderson, “formerly worked as a personal assistant” for Kim from around 2013-15. Throughout the course of her employment, the suit states that Sanderson “spent significant time in Kim Richards’ home” in Sherman Oaks, where Kim lived from 2013 through June 2015 with ex-husband Monty, son Chad “and intermittently her daughter Kimberly.” In July 2015, Sanderson stopped being Kim’s assistant but “continued to have friendly conversation with her.”
In November 2014, one of Kyle’s daughters was visiting Kim at the Sherman Oaks property when Kingsley bit her on the hand, which “required hospitalization and treatment,” according to court documents. “This incident caused a conflict between [Kyle] and [Kim].”
Five months later, in April 2015, Kim “entered an addiction treatment facility” and soon after stopped living at the Sherman Oaks home. As of December 2015, Kim began living at an Encino condo that was purchased for her to live in by Kyle; Kim lives there rent-free and the pair does “not have a lease agreement,” the suit states.
After Kim moved into the Encino property, the suit alleges that Kyle “did not receive any information about Kingsley residing” at the home, nor did she “permit or condone Kingsley being present.”
The documents state that Kyle was not present at the Encino property from December 2015 through April 9, 2016, and “believed that Kingsley was relinquished and given away by [Kim] in November 2014.”
“It was my understanding and belief that Kingsley was permanently gone from [Kim’s] custody and care after he bit my daughter in November 2014, and that he was no longer living with her or her family,” Kyle’s declaration states. “I have not seen dog Kingsley since November 2014.” At the end of 2014, Kim allegedly told Kyle that she “had relinquished Kingsley and given him away to live with a dog trainer.”
In the early morning of April 9, 2016, Sanderson went to the condo to help Kim get ready for an entertainment event; she was allegedly told the day before over the phone that Kingsley would be present.
According to the court docs, Sanderson went to the master bathroom of the condo, where she assisted Kim. Kingsley was locked in a separate bedroom with Chad, who allegedly released the dog “out of the bedroom into the home unleashed, and chased [Sanderson] into the bathroom,” the suit states. According to the docs, Sanderson “locked herself in the bathroom away from Kingsley,” but was informed by Kim that “Kingsley was gone and that she was safe.”
The documents state that when Sanderson “opened the bathroom door, Kingsley was present and lunged” at her, “biting her pelvis and arm.”
Kim arranged for Sanderson to be taken to the hospital by London. While at the hospital, Sanderson “reported that a stray dog had bitten her on the street.”
But on May 10, Sanderson made a complaint to L.A. Animal Control about the bite and reported Kingsley, naming Kim as the owner and and providing the Encino address. In Sanderson’s lawsuit, originally filed July 7, 2016, she alleged that Kyle is the “owner or part owner of Kingsley, or had actual control over Kingsley.”
According to Kyle’s response, she “is not strictly liable for the April 9, 2016 dog bite to [Sanderson] if she is not the owner, keeper or controller of Kingsley.” The suit states that Kyle “has no relationship” with Sanderson and only met her once at a party at Kim’s house in 2014.
“When [Sanderson] reported the April 9, 2016 dog bite incident to animal control, she identified the owner of the dog as Kim Richards,” the suit states. “No witnesses, including [Sanderson] have testified that they had ever seen [Kyle] with or around Kingsley at any point in time.”
“As [Kyle] was neither aware that Kingsley had returned to Kim Richards custody, nor present at the [property], until filing of this lawsuit in July 2016, there is no evidence to support that she was the ‘keeper’ of ‘controller’ of Kingsley,” the documents state.
The suit states that “[Kyle] cannot be held strictly liable for this incident caused by her sister’s dog Kingsley, and this cause of action must be dismissed.”
“Kyle Richards Umansky was not present for the subject incident, and is not the owner, keeper, or controller of the dog who allegedly bit [Sanderson],” the papers state. “Further, she had absolutely no knowledge that a dog was residing at the condominium with her sister such that she could be liable for negligence.”
This isn’t the first time a personal injury lawsuit has been brought against Kim regarding the dog: According to documents, a woman alleged she was bitten in March 2014, and another woman alleged she was bitten in September 2014, both at the Sherman Oaks property, reports PEOPLE.
Transcript courtesy via PEOPLE
Photo Credit: Bravo
