Dogs can be dangerous, even though people love them. Statistics on dog bites confirm the dangers of dog bites. Nearly 1,000 Americans need emergency treatment each day for severe dog bites. In addition, about 12480 citizens need hospitalization for dog bite injuries.

Victims of dog attacks are not afraid to seek compensation for their injuries. In many cases, the victims claim that the owner of the dog was negligent when handling the animal, and this contributed to the attack.

Some dog owners think about getting dog liability insurance in order to protect themselves from a lawsuit if their dog attacks someone. Consider speaking with a dog bite lawyer if your dog has injured someone.

In the following situations, a dog owner may be held responsible for injuries caused by their dog:

  • If the owner of the dog knew that the dog was likely to be injured by this type of behavior
  • The dog owner is liable if the statutes on dog bites hold them responsible, regardless of whether they knew or not that their dog was prone to harm.
  • The dog owner is responsible for any injuries that resulted from unreasonable negligence.

There Are Three Types of Laws That Hold Dog Owners Responsible for Dog Bites:

Dog Bite Statutes

Dog Bite Statutes is a state law that places strict liability on dog owners whose dogs injure another person. Other states may hold the owner of a dog responsible for property damage.

The dog owner is automatically liable for any injury or damage to property caused by the dog, even if the dog has not been provoked.

One Bite Rule

In certain states, the ”one-bite” rule may apply to lawsuits involving domesticated dogs. Common law is the law that applies. The injured party must prove that the owner of the dog knew, or was negligent in not knowing, that it was likely to cause injury to people.

The dog owner is not liable if the dog showed no signs of aggression and then attacked a person. This is because the owner did not know that the animal could be dangerous. If the dog acted aggressively toward people, but never bit anyone, the owner may be held responsible.

Many states replaced the “one bite” rule for dog liability with strict liability laws. Some states, hold dog owners responsible for any injuries regardless of whether their animal has bitten anyone else.

Negligence Laws

The owner of the dog may be responsible for the injury if they were negligent in their control of the dog. In any state, a dog bite victim can sue for negligence or an animal control violation that caused the bite. This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top San Fernando Valley personal injury lawyer, and the founder of Tenina Law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.