You may have been assured by a dog owner that their pet was safe to approach, touch, play with, or otherwise. However, a dog owner may have been reckless in allowing this, and you may have been made a victim of a dog bite or attack as a result. Follow along to find out what injuries and damages are commonly associated with a dog attack and how a proficient St. Mary’s County dog bite lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you properly heal from them.
What injuries and damages are commonly associated with a dog attack?
It is the unfortunate truth that you may be facing serious, if not fatal, consequences in the aftermath of a dog attack. Without further ado, common injuries and damages are as follows:
- Common injuries:
- Lacerations or abrasions.
- Scarring.
- Tissue damage or nerve damage.
- Torn muscles.
- Sprained or broken bones.
- Common damages:
- Funeral and burial expenses.
- Medical bills.
- Hospital stays.
- Lost wages.
- Pain and suffering.
Can I recover damages after a dog attack?
Rest assured, there is a way in which you may recuperate from the injuries and damages you have since incurred from your dog attack. In other words, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim against the negligent dog owner.
This is thanks to Maryland being a strict liability state; this statute holds that a dog owner is responsible for any damages caused by their dogs. Therefore, they may be strictly liable for any injuries or damages their dog brought onto you while they were outside of their property. This is regardless of whether they took reasonable care to prevent their dog from causing you any harm.
On the other hand, you may make a negligence claim against the dog owner. With this, you may have to prove the following circumstances as true:
- The dog owner had a responsibility to use reasonable care while their dog was in your presence.
- The dog owner failed to uphold this responsibility, by failing to properly restrain their dog or otherwise.
- The dog owner’s failure to use reasonable care ultimately led to your dog bite or attack.
- Your dog bite or attack subsequently resulted in serious injuries or damages.
- Your serious injuries and damages require some sort of financial compensation to be properly healed.
Further, you may have to also prove external factors. For example, you may have to confirm that the property owner gave you consent to enter their property, approach their dog, etc. What’s more, you may have to show that the dog in question had a history of violence that their owner was well aware of.
You cannot ignore your potential personal injury claim for much longer. Instead, you must retain the services of a talented Leonardtown personal injury lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm today.
