Dogs are devoted companions for so many families. Sadly, some dogs are cared for in a way that makes them aggressive to strangers. Dogs with this type of behavior are prone to attack when they are not yielded and in close range of a stranger. The number of people attacked by dogs per year is high. Dogs have attacked by charging at someone on sidewalks, when an unfamiliar person is visiting their home, and under many other circumstances. Dog bites cause deep lacerating wounds, nerve damage and some attacks are fatal. There can be a long-running recovery. The owner of a dog that has attacked is liable for injuries. Most home insurance policies do cover dog bite attacks. As long as the dog was not provoked, the law leans toward advocating the injured. An intruder attacked by the owner’s dog is an exception. Intruders don’t receive compensation for injuries of any kind.
Home owner’s insurance covers dog bite injuries, but often not adequately enough. Personal injury lawyers in Southern Maryland evaluate the worth of cases to make an accurate estimate of the total a client should receive in rewards. Many victims of dog attacks are neighbors of the owner. If the dog is seen as being too dangerous, it may be euthanized. Other precautionary measures following a dog bite are to order the owner to muzzle the dog while outdoors, put up warning signs, and using a more reliable source of confinement on the property.
There are small distinctions in dog bite laws from state to state, but most have abandoned the one free bite rule. This old law used to give owners a break with a dog that never showed aggression in the past. Now the law runs on strict liability in most jurisdictions. Personal injury lawyers in Southern Maryland will look for witness accounts and see if there was a pattern of behavior for dogs that have attacked. This helps determine how aware the owner was of the dog’s hostility. If a person is injured trying to intervene and rescue another from a dog attack, the rescuer may be entitled to compensation as well. Contact Law Office Of Danny R. Seidman for a consultation.
