Who is Responsible?

The legal rights of an individual who has been attacked by a dog depend upon the circumstances surrounding the attack. Laws vary from city to city and state to state. In most states, someone who has been attacked can recover compensation from a person whose negligence caused the attack, or from a person who violated a leash law. It is extremely important to speak with us so that you can review your legal options.

In all states, a person is responsible for all losses and damages that result from his or her negligence. Dog owners, people who handle dogs, people who harbor dogs, and everyone else associated with a dog can potentially be held responsible if their negligence causes an injury.

Negligence, in this context, is defined by a leading dog bite expert as "an unreasonable action or unreasonable omission to take action or give a warning. An example of an unreasonable action would be a dog owner letting go of his dog's leash when another dog approaches so the dogs can play. An example of an unreasonable omission might be the failure to keep a dog away from guests, where the dog is known to play too roughly and knock people down." In either situation, the owner is responsible for the actions (and results of those actions) of their dog.

In most states, someone attacked by a dog can recover compensation from a dog owner because of the state's "Dog Bite Statute". Generally, these statutes make a dog owner responsible for all bites and attacks, even if there was no prior record of similar activity.

If you or a loved one have been bitten by an aggressive dog or injured by a dog attack, please call us at 1.800.966.4999 or fill out the form to the right of the page for a free case evaluation.

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