Understanding Dog Bites & Laws
Understanding Dog Bites & Laws.
by Peter King
Dog bites shouldn’t be taken lightly. According to the statistics, over 4 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year. Dog bites can be very dangerous or deadly when not treated promptly. Dog saliva contains several bacteria which can transmit deadly infections, such as rabies, etc., to the human body.
This article discusses the various laws concerning dog bites and the legal actions you can take after a dog has bitten you.
What To Do Immediately After the Bite?
- Like any other injury, you must visit a doctor immediately after a dog bite. Instant medical attention is the first step to reducing the risk of any possible infection.
- Next, report your dog bite accident to the local animal control department to find out if the dog was vaccinated against rabies. If not, you need to get the rabies injections immediately.
- Ensure that you gather the evidence of the dog bite. Get the contact details of the dog’s owner and information on any witnesses to the incident. This will be really helpful if you want to pursue a legal case against the dog owner.
Understanding Dog Bites and Laws in the USA
The United States has many laws governing dog bites that vary from state to state. In many states, the dog owner has a reasonable duty of care toward the public. That means they have a strict liability and can be held liable if their dog bites someone and must pay damages.
However, many other states don’t follow such strict liability laws. To recover damages, the victim has to firmly establish that the owner knew that their dog was dangerous and still took it lightly, which led to their dog biting someone.
Along with that, the United States also has leash laws in place which state that dog owners are required to keep their dogs on a leash. This is a precautionary measure to ensure that the dogs don’t end up biting anyone in the first place.
One big challenge is that, as a layman, understanding all these laws and determining the best course of action can be challenging. That’s why it’s best to take the help of attorneys representing dog bite victims.
How to Identify the Dog and Owner?
You need to identify the dog and its owner to establish your case for a medical claim.
- If you know who was with the dog at the time of the incident, it may be as simple as asking them for this information. However, if the individual responsible for the dog is not present or is not willing to provide details, there are a couple of other ways you may be able to identify a dog.
- For starters, many U.S. dogs wear collars with tags indicating their owners’ contact information; if the dog is wearing a white collar, you should be able to get in touch with the owner easily.
- On top of that, some dogs are implanted with tiny microchips containing identifying information. Special scanners can read these chips; if you take the injured animal and the victim to an animal shelter or veterinary clinic, they may be able to use a scanner to determine the dog’s owner.
Legal Action After a Bite
Following a dog bite, you might already be in pain and might be wondering about the possible legal rights. As we have mentioned, various legal options are available under strict liability laws in the United States. The first step is to file a police report and take photographs of any injuries sustained in the attack. To establish a strong case, you also need to show medical reports, so keep them handy so that they are easily accessible whenever required. You may then choose whether to pursue an insurance claim or file a personal injury lawsuit. The latter requires evidence that the dog owner was responsible for the incident. Now, this requires legal understanding and knowledge of the dog bite laws in detail. That means it is important to seek advice from a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury lawyer before you begin with your case,
Conclusion
When faced with the unfortunate event of a dog bite, immediate medical attention is required. The most important step is to consult a dog bite lawyer as soon as possible to get better clarity on the laws in your state and what steps to be taken next.
