Close to 90 million Americans have dogs in their households. They are largely everybody’s favorite pet, and more importantly, a part of the family. However, these animals can cause serious injury. Dog bite injuries happen far more than we may want to realize. Every year, studies estimate that there are close to five million dog bites. In fact, the demographic most vulnerable for these attacks: our children, specifically children between the ages of 5 to 9. While we love those fluffy animals most of the time, it is important to know what to do in case of an attack. After all, dog bites can lead to serious injury and knowing what to do in a time of injury can benefit you and your family in the long run.
A lot of the times it is hard to distinguish who is at fault for a dog bite injury. Sometimes, these attacks happen rather unexpectedly and you may not know who the owner is. So, who is liable for an attack? After all, the dog itself it not going to pay you your fair compensation. Every state has difficult laws in this regard and it may in your best interest to search your specific state’s laws regarding these sorts of attacks. However, there are some commonalities among dog bite cases regardless of the state. For example, most states — legally speaking — hold a person liable for your injury if 1) they encouraged and/or ordered the dog to attack you and 2) if they kept the dog knowing they had bitten and/or attacked someone before.
The tricky part is what to do when the dog has showed no sign of attack and the owner claims they did not order the dog to cause you harm. Some states have a one rule law where the owner is not held accountable if there is legal evidence that the dog showed no sign of causing the attack. However, other states have much stricter laws and regardless of the previous signs, the owner is held liable for the dog’s attack and your resulting injury. When an attack like this occurs, make sure to take photos, locate the owner, and collect the facts to form a case.
The injuries that result from a dog bite are no joke. Dog bites can cause serious semi-permanent or even permanent damage depending on the severity of the attack. Some of the most common injuries that result from dog bites are infections, bruising, nerve damage, scarring, and deep tares in the tissue of the afflicted area.
Dog bite injuries can be both traumatic and costly. You shouldn’t have to worry about fronting the cost to pay for your injury that was inflicted because of somebody else’s pet. Hiring a dog bite lawyer will help you deal with your injury in the most smooth way possible so you can recover with the least amount of stress.
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury from a dog bite, it may be in your best interest to reach out to Cohen & Cohen, a trusted team of attorneys successfully serving Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and the surrounding areas who specialize in cases like these.
