Wesley Chapel Dog Bite Attorney
A dog might be man’s best friend, but they are also dangerous animals that can seriously injure a person in an attack. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 300,000 people are treated in the emergency room each year for a dog bite. These victims suffer a range of medical issues and can require months to heal.
Often, dog bite victims don’t know what to do following an attack. They might personally know the dog owner and not want to cause difficulty or put stress on the relationship. Many dogs which attack are “good dogs” with no history of violence.
But dog bites are serious injuries, and compensation in a civil suit is often possible. Let the Wesley Chapel dog bite attorney at Moore Law review the circumstances to decide what you should do.
Dog Bite Liability
A dog bite victim can receive compensation only if the owner is liable for the attack. The good news is that owners in Florida are strictly liable for most dog attacks. This means that a victim doesn’t need to show the owner failed to use reasonable care before they can sue. Instead, the owner is automatically on the hook simply by virtue of the dog biting you.
There are some conditions, though, which are found in Florida Statute § 767.04. For example, the victim must have been in public or had a legal right to be on private property. In other words, you can’t have been trespassing at the time you were attacked. If you were on private property, the owner might escape strict liability if they posted a sign in their yard warning visitors of the dog.
What happens if the owner posted a sign? A dog bite victim might still have a case for negligence, but a Wesley Chapel dog bite attorney should review all the facts. For example, the sign might have been obscured, or the dog could have wandered off the property and attacked you on a sidewalk or in the street. In some situations, someone other than the owner might be to blame, such as a dog kennel or a landlord whose dangerous premises allowed the dog to escape.
Dog Bite Injuries
Many people need expensive medical care to treat a dog bite. Even some relatively minor bites might soon worsen, sending a person to the hospital and keeping them there for quite some time. Common injuries include:
- Fractures
- Lacerations and puncture wounds
- Soft-tissue injury, such as damage to muscles, ligaments, or tendons
- Damaged nerves
- Infection
- Scarring
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
After an attack, try to stop bleeding by applying pressure with a clean towel. You might also use soap and warm water to clean the wound. Your best bet, however, is to head immediately to the hospital following a dog bite. An emergency room doctor can decide how to treat infection and whether to give a rabies or tetanus shot, which might make the difference between life and death.
Hire a Wesley Chapel Dog Bite Attorney to Bring a Claim
Dog bite injuries are often worth much more than people estimate. To get the legal help you need during this stressful time, contact Moore Law today. Our consultations are free.
