If you have been the victim of a dog bite, you might be wondering if you can file a lawsuit against the owner of the dog for your injuries. Dog bite lawsuits are actually quite common and in many cases have good outcomes. Here are some things you should know about dog bite personal injury cases.
I Was On Their Property and The Dog Bit Me, Does That Merit a Lawsuit?
In most cases even if you were on the owners property and the dog attacked you, you still have a good case against the person. Generally if the dog was not on their own property and had ventured onto someone else's property or public grounds and bit a person there is no question about a lawsuit. You can typically file a lawsuit in that case. However, it is a little different when you are on the owners property. If there is a sign that says "private property," "no trespassing," or "beware of dog," it could absolve them of responsibility. This is especially the case if you were on the property uninvited. If you are a salesman and you go onto the property with a "no soliciting" sign and the owners dog bites you, you might not have as good of a case. However, if the person invited you there, like for a dinner party, so your child could play with their child, or other reasons, they are responsible to keep their dog contained and any guests safe.
How Much Can You Sue For?
The amount that you sue the person for depends on the nature of the dog bite and the incident. First you should calculate how much your injuries actually are. If it was a bite on the leg and all you needed was a shot and maybe a couple stitches, you could have them pay the bill. Additionally, if any property was damaged such as your clothing, they should have to pay for that.
Next, you can ask for pain and suffering. If the attack was traumatic, especially for a child, you might have to get therapy to heal from the emotional trauma. If the child or you can no longer be around dogs, or have PTSD, you can include that in the lawsuit.
How Long Does The Lawsuit Take?
Lawsuits vary in how long they take to resolve. Hopefully with a dog bite suit you won't go to court and you and the owner of the dog can settle it easily. But you should still plan on a couple months, maybe even a year. For more details, talk with an attorney like Carl L. Britt, Jr. today.
Share6 June 2017
The laws governing child custody and guardianship can be confusing. As a family attorney, I have helped many clients gain legal guardianship over a foster child or a relative's child. Getting legal guardianship of a child you are caring for is important because you need to be able to make decisions about that child's education, health care and other matters. This blog will help you navigate the world of legal guardianship and show you how to take steps to get guardianship over a child whether the child's parents are cooperative or not. Legal guardianship does matter even if a child is not going to be adopted. I hope to help people find the way to get this done.
