You may feel intimidated if a strange dog approaches or chases you down. You may feel all the more helpless if this dog begins attacking you and ultimately bites you. This is an unjust situation that needs to be rectified. If not through a fair insurance claim, this must be done through a just dog bite injury claim. Without further ado, follow along to find out Maryland’s dog bite laws and how a proficient St. Mary’s County dog bite lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help apply them to your injury claim.
What should I do immediately after being bitten by a dog?
Before you can even think about your legal claim, you should worry about medically treating your dog bite injury. That is, immediately after being bitten by a dog, you should seek refuge, and then soak your wound in soapy water and scrub the bite area gently. You should soon after dry the wound and apply an antiseptic to it (i.e., iodine). Even after self-treatment, it is wise to seek professional medical attention for further aid.
All the while, you should report the dog bite incident to the St. Mary’s County Police Department at 301-475-8008 and the St. Mary’s County Health Department at 301-475-4330. And if the dog in question is unattended by its owner, you should also contact the St. Mary’s County Animal Control Division at 301-475-8018.
What are Maryland’s dog bite laws and how can they help my claim?
Generally speaking, Maryland’s dog bite laws hold dog owners strictly liable whenever their dog bites, attacks, and subsequently injures a third party. Gone are the days when Maryland upheld the one-bite rule, in which a dog owner was not responsible for a dog bite incident if their dog had never bitten anyone before. Instead, state law maintains that a dog owner must control their dog at all times.
Therefore, for your injury claim, you may argue that a dog owner acted negligently by failing to supervise their dog. Or. you may go as far as to argue that a dog owner trained their dog to fight; taunted their dog to attack you; or historically abused their dog to the point where they have aggressive tendencies as a fear response. Of course, this must be backed up by the proper, relevant evidence.
In addition, you may cite negligence per se. Here, you may argue that Maryland law would have required a dog owner to have their dog on a leash at the time of your incident (i.e., they were outside the dog owner’s premises). Or, to prohibit their drog from entering a certain area where your incident took place (i.e., they were on your private premises).
Lastly, you may claim Maryland’s premises liability law. This is specifically if you were the welcomed visitor on a dog owner’s premises. This is because, then, a dog owner would have breached their duty of care in keeping their premises safe during your visit.
In conclusion, there is no need to second-guess your decision to retain the services of a talented Leonardtown personal injury lawyer. This is because we can guarantee that someone from The Dorsey Law Firm will have your back through every step.
