Dog owners treat their pets like they are members of the family. Many dogs receive better treatment than some humans. People feed their dogs, dress them up, send them to the spa, and love to take their pooches to the park. Anyone with a dog needs to make sure they exercise caution and responsibility when they take their pets out in public. The reality is, not everyone acts like a responsible pet owner. If your dog bites a person, or if you receive a dog bite in Lexington, Ohio; there are some things you need to understand.
Immediately after a dog bite, you should call 911 if there are severe injuries. If not, you need to wash the wounds with warm, soapy water and get medical attention to make sure you do not have rabies. You should also get the name of the dog’s owner, along with the address of where the dog lives.
Lexington, Ohio Dog Bite Statutes
If you live in Lexington, Ohio, there are two ways (strict liability) one can receive compensation for dog bite injuries. The rules are as follows:
- The state’s dog bite statute says the dog’s owner, keeper, or individual in custody of the dog is responsible for injuries the dog causes to another person. This means the person that receives the bite will not have to provide evidence the dog’s owner knew the dog is vicious which traditionally the case traditional dog bite case.
- Lexington, Ohio does not allow for the “one free bite” rule. So, in other words, it will not matter how nice a dog, or how responsible the owner, if your dog bites an individual, you are responsible for compensating for injuries.
If you needed medical attention after a dog bite, reach out to the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers to discuss filing a claim.
A person does not have to be the dog’s owner to be a defendant in a lawsuit requesting compensation for dog bite injuries. You simply have to be the person keeping the dog or in control of the property where the dog lives. A dog bite victim has to prove the following to collect compensation for a dog bite injury:
- The person being sued is the dog’s owner, keeper or harborer;
- The dog’s behavior is what caused the injury;
- Damages from the dog bite.
The only exception to the state’s strict liability policy is if you sustain injuries due to agitating or teasing the dog, committing a crime on the owner’s property, or when you are trespassing. If you or someone you love sustains dog bite injuries, you should contact an attorney immediately to determine what your rights are in terms of seeking and collecting compensation for your injuries. An Ohio lawyer will also tell you that the statute of limitations allows a dog bite victim two years from the date of the bite to file a lawsuit to collect damages from the owner of the dog, the person keeping them or the harborer.
Common Law Dog Statutes
In a traditional dog bite case, an individual must prove the “one bite rule.” These cases mean people must show the dog has the disposition to bite strangers without provocation, and the dog’s owner, keeper, or harborer knew this to be the case. A strict liability case is much easier to prove since the “one bite rule” does not apply and you will not have to prove the owner is aware of the dog’s propensity to bite. A common law case gives a person the opportunity to collect compensation for punitive damages and the dog bite statute does not give a person that right.
Dog owners (keepers and harborers too) can face battery charges if one makes the dog with a known disposition to attack to bite an individual without a reason. There are times when one can face prosecution for this as a criminal act.
How Can a Lexington, Ohio Attorney Help Me With My Dog Bite Injury?
If you or someone you love suffers dog bite injuries in Lexington, Ohio, an attorney will be able to inform you of the laws the state adheres to and how each law will apply to your case. A lawyer can also help you track down the dog’s owner and where the dog lives. There may be a situation in which you cannot get the dog owner to compensate you for your injuries, and an attorney can help you negotiate to collect the compensation you are due or file a lawsuit if necessary. Hiring a lawyer to help you pursue compensation for your dog bite injuries will save you the time and effort of arguing with the dog bite owner.
Owning a dog can be wonderful. But dog owners need to be responsible and make sure any furry pet they own does not cause harm or injuries to another person. If you have dog bite injuries, you need to make sure you have someone with legal experience on your side fighting for your rights. An attorney will work hard to aggressively go after any dog owner that fails to monitor a pet. No matter how minor or severe your injuries are, you have a right to receive compensation for any damages you sustain.
Call the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers for Help with Your Dog Bite Injuries
If you or someone you love has dog bite injuries, we can help you collect the compensation you deserve to recover from your injuries. Let us put our extensive resources to work for you to locate the dog’s owner and go after them on your behalf. We can do for you what you cannot do for yourself; get the owner of the dog to pay for your injuries.
Call our office today to schedule a consultation on your case. Our attorneys have the resources and the knowledge to help you collect all the compensation you are due. We care about your well-being and your injuries and will work hard to get you the justice you deserve. Contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today.
