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Dog Bites / Animal Attacks
Few things are more frightening than being attacked by a dog. Such an attack
can leave the victim severely injured and traumatized. If the victim is a child,
the injuries can be fatal. Many states have statutes which hold the owner of
the dog strictly liable for the dog’s behavior if the attack is unprovoked;
that is, the victim did nothing to threaten the dog or cause it to attack in
self-defense. It makes no difference where the attack took place or if the attack
is the first for the animal. In some states, the dog gets “one free bite,”
meaning the owner is not presumed to know the dog is dangerous until an attack
has occurred once.
As an owner, there are steps you can take to minimize the possibility of your
dog attacking someone:
- Spay or neuter your dog
- Do not teach your dog to play roughly
- Be sure your dog has up-to-date vaccinations
- Take your dog to obedience classes so it becomes accustomed to obeying
voice commands
- Never leave babies or small children with a dog unless there is an adult
with them
- Keep your dog in a fenced yard, do not allow it to roam
Basic safety tips include:
- Leave strange dogs alone
- Never approach any dog while it is eating, sleeping, or caring for puppies
- Never try to pet a dog until you have let it see you and smell you
- Never leave children alone with any dog
- Never be aggressive with a dog, stare it in the eye, or run from it
- If a dog does attack, stay still
- If a dog knocks you down, roll into a ball to protect yourself
If you are attacked, seek help quickly. Try to find out who the owner is, but
seek medical help first.
If you or a loved one is in need of legal assistance, call BAGOLIE
FRIEDMAN, LLC toll free 1-866-333-3LAW or submit
an online questionnaire. The initial consultation is free of charge, and
if we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which
means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds.
In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date,
known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you
do not waive your right to possible compensation.
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