If a dog or other animal has bitten you, consult with an attorney. You may be able to receive compensation for your injuries and damages inflicted on you.
A recent study showed that if American’s paid the full cost of their home owner’s insurance, without business tax credits and subsidies, that homeowners rates would almost double in most states; those who live in high-risk areas of the country, such as Florida and California, would see rates triple.
Business owners established insurance credits to help offset their business costs and provide a subsidy for individuals who don’t insure their homes; this is commonly called “subsidized homeowners insurance.” The subsidies create a lack of accountability and encourage people not to buy home owner’s insurance nor reduce liability. When there is no incentive for consumers to buy home owner’s insurance, they don’t. So far, 14 million American’s have subsidized homeowner’s insurance
You may face unexpected medical bills and other expenses if a dog bites you or a loved one. The dog owner, the local dog pound, or your homeowner’s insurance company may agree to compensate you for your injuries without involving the courts. However, this does not mean that you are barred from filing a lawsuit against someone who has wrongfully caused your injuries.
Legal Remedies for Dog Bite Victims
If you hire an attorney that understands personal injury law, he can explain all of your legal options and help in filing an injury claim after a dog bite. It is possible that the animal’s owner did not know it had vicious propensities since many people buy large dogs specifically because they want them as protection against would-be burglars. This means that their insurance company will pay the full amount of damages you are seeking. However, if the owner knew that their dog was dangerous or had bitten people in the past, it may be possible to settle for more money by filing a lawsuit against them.
Dog owners are responsible for all injuries caused by their pets even though they may not have been negligent. If your attorney can show that they were aware of an unreasonable risk to others and did nothing about it, then he will win your case for you. Many states also allow victims to seek restitution from the municipality that ran or contracted with the local pound where your pet is held. This claim does not require proof that anyone was negligent but instead asks for compensation under “premises liability” laws.
Consult your lawyer
As long as your injury was not too minor and the owner did nothing to prevent the attack, then you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other expenses. Even if your injuries were relatively light, it is best to hire a personal injury attorney since he will know when you need an expert witness, such as a veterinarian or animal behaviorist.
Most lawyers offer free consultations, so there is no risk in at least getting some advice about your case and what your legal options are. While it is unlikely that any pet owner will want to settle with you for more than it would cost them in their insurance premiums, most people aren’t concerned with money when they feel sorry after their pet injured someone.
Dog owners may also argue that they weren’t negligent or that you were partially at fault, but this is an unlikely defense unless the dog had a history of attacks. Under a “one-bite” rule, a person is usually not liable if their pet has never before hurt anyone. This means that a man could not be charged with a crime if his dog bit someone in the park unless it had attacked before or the victim was trespassing on private property.
When this defense is used, then your animal control officer or homeowner’s insurance company may still pay for your injuries but you cannot win more than that amount of money through a liability claim.
Most states also have strict liability laws that hold dog owners liable for the actions of their pets even if they are not negligent. Some exceptions do exist, however, such as only allowing the victims to sue for medical bills and no other damages.
While it is unlikely that any pet owner will want to settle with you for more than it would cost them in their insurance premiums, most people aren’t concerned with money when they feel sorry after their pet injured someone.
This means that your attorney will still be able to convince the jury to give you an amount of money that reflects both your pain and suffering as well as what it cost for medical bills and lost wages.
Dog bites are a common type of personal injury case where a person is injured by the dog. Dog bites cases are particularly complex because there are many legal theories under which you can sue someone, or in some cases, multiple parties, who may be liable for your injuries.
- the owner of the dog
- anyone who was directly or indirectly responsible for the dog
- the landlord if your landlord knew about the dog and never took steps to confine it or remove it from the premises
- and any business that allowed an employee or customer to bring a dangerous animal onto their premises
- In many cases, there may be more than one defendant in a case, which means you may have to file suit against each of them individually