A dog bite can be a terrifying and painful experience to go through. Many animal attacks tend to cause severe injuries by nature and might result in injuries such as disfigurement or scarring, psychological injuries for lifelong or long-term, permanent disabilities, etc. Such damages could tragically increase the risks of death; they tend to be significantly magnified in situations where a child is a victim.
Unlike a defective productive injury, an auto accident, or a slip and fall, the law surrounded by dog bites can be confusing and complicated. As a result of this, the recovery of compensation for the injuries caused by dog bites might be difficult for a person who is not a lawyer.
If you or any of your near and dear ones have been bitten by a dog and are suffering from serious injuries, they can find and book a lawyer for dog bite cases. Such a lawyer can help him prepare and present his chance to get hold of the compensation he deserves.
Laws related to dog bites vary from one state to another.
Some states tend to follow a basic standard of negligence that holds the owner of a dog liable when the negligent behavior from their side ends up with their dog biting a person. Other states, on the contrary, believe in the adoption of a strict standard of liability that holds an owner liable at a time when their pet ends up biting the other person, irrespective of the consideration of the fact as to whether the owner was handling his pet or exercising due care, or at the time of negligence.
Another well-renowned approach is known to hold an owner of a dog liable only when he was aware that his pet dog has a vicious or dangerous propensity or has previously bitten or attacked someone. This doctrine is generally called the one free bite rule because an owner might not be liable for their pet attacking a person first. Still, he would be considered to possess a notice and responsibility for future attacks after such a happening.
Many states in the present times are known to have taken a different approach that incorporates all of the three theories as mentioned earlier of liability. They can be considered through the following examples of various states:
- Animal owners in New York are held liable for all the medical costs when their pet attacks someone. It must be kept in mind that such an owner will be responsible for any other connected legal damage only if he was aware or should have been aware of the dangerous propensities of his pet.
- Owners of a dog in California are held liable for a dog bite if it took place in his private property or at a public home; the victim must be lawfully present on the property at that particular time.
- A dog owner in Georgia is held liable for an injury that is caused by the careless mismanagement by the owner or in cases where he permits his pet to go off at liberty when either the person violates an ordinance that requires an animal to be kept on a leash, or when the animal was dangerous or vicious.
The right lawyer for dog bites can help.
A dog bite might cause a severe injury, and such injuries include nerve damage, puncture wounds, facial lacerations, compound fractures, internal injuries, disfigurement, scarring, emotional trauma, and rabies. Such an attack might also lead to depression, lifelong fear of open places or dogs, or stress disorder post the trauma.
A pet owner has various defenses to liability that includes provocation of the animal by the victim and proof of the overall extent of damages. A dog bite victim might be initially reluctant to bring about legal action against such a pet owner because of a substantial lack of knowledge or presence of fear of getting oneself in trouble.
