Owners are considered strictly responsible for the behavior of an animal and are required to prove that the dog, no matter what breed it is, is not dangerous. Our Maryland Dog Bite Injury Attorney Can File Your Pit Bull Lawsuit. In instances of dangerous conditions, where the landlord agrees to rectify the conditions and fails to do so, he or she may be held liable for any injuries caused as a result. Call today to schedule a complimentary consultation with a skilled member of our dedicated team. Individuals around dogs have the responsibility to not abuse or provoke the animals. One change provides that when a dog is "running at large, " the dog owner can be liable for injuries from the dog biting other individuals without being proven negligent. It can be difficult to hold the owner responsible for their dog's actions if that owner is a friend or family member. As a result of the case, strict tort liability was imposed on pit bull owners and landlords. You can expect more dog bite lawsuit to be filed in Maryland over the next year as the number of dog bites has soared during COVID. Individuals who are caught provoking the dog that attacked them typically fall into this category. The burden of proof lies with the plaintiff. If the dog owner does not have any insurance, the claim is far more problematic.
An experienced attorney will investigate and evaluate homeowners or renters insurance policies involved in the case to determine whether payment from these sources is required in your case. Additionally, a doctor can document the injuries which can be used to prove damages in a personal injury case. Contact us today if you have questions about dog bites or other animal attacks. Some wounds may even result in permanent scarring. Next, you should seek immediate medical treatment, especially if the bite or attack caused broken skin. The time starts running on the day the injury occurs. Obtaining police reports. The victim's long-term disabilities. The statute of limitations for dog bite claims in Maryland is determined by Maryland's personal injury law. A dog attack can also leave the victim with extensive scarring, or even lead to the loss of fingers, limbs, or facial features like eyes and lips. As a country, we spend $1 billion a year in medical costs from animal attacks.
It is a dog owner's duty to ensure that the dog is properly leashed and/or living in an enclosed and secure area to prevent potential injury. State statutes provide for dog bite injury lawsuits against dog owners and others related to negligence and strict liability, but local laws may also provide further regulations that the dog owner may have violated. Dogs are commonly referred to as "man's best friend, " but they are still animals. Collecting evidence is an important facet of a personal injury case. Dogs bite people for a variety of reasons.
Top personal injury lawyers such as Pinder Plotkin are actually able to settle 98 percent of cases without the need for a trial. This ensures the incident is legally documented, which supports your case when you pursue the dog's owner for compensation. Even if you were only 1% at fault for the injury that occurred, you would be prevented from recovering damages from the dog owner. With the assistance of our Maryland dog bite injury attorney, our team can help by focusing on the dog's owner's level of involvement during this incident, and how you can be compensated fairly for the dog's attack. What are the next steps? The court highlighted the fact that pit bulls have the tendency to bite and even kill without warning or signal and are selectively bred to have especially powerful jaws and extreme aggressiveness. They will be responsible by the law for failing to keep their dog away from the public. Ask your dog attack lawyer to handle the filing to ensure it is on time. Many insurance defense lawyers handling dog bite cases in Maryland are incorrectly convinced that a dog must have bitten someone before to create liability. The court, rather, found that pit bulls are considered inherently dangerous.
The owner can claim that they did not know that their pet was capable of that, so they could not prepare for it. The One-Bite Rule in Dog Bite Law. If the attack victim can prove that the owner failed to take reasonable care when handling or restraining their animal, they may be able to hold them liable under Maryland's general negligence laws. When we represent you, we will work tirelessly to try to land you a favorable deal. There are thousands of injuries reported every year as a result of dog bites. The immediate steps following a dog bite is crucial. Many states have very strict dog bite laws and Maryland is no exception. Our firm has helped hundreds of clients hold the responsible party accountable after dog bites and other accidents. Who Is Responsible for a Baltimore Dog Bite Injury? To assist you all hours of the day and night.
However, the law also makes a few exceptions. Even if you have received treatment for your dog bite injury, you should follow up with your physician or seek emergency treatment if you begin to suffer signs of infection such as: - Redness, swelling, or tenderness at the bite area. Dog bites are often sensitive matters. In order for a Maryland dog bite lawyer to prove negligence, four elements must be present in the case: - Duty. Call (410) 727-1979 or submit our request form here today. Under that theory, even if the dog had not bitten a person in the past, the owner will be liable if the owner fails to exercise effective control of the dog in a situation where it would reasonably be expected that an injury could occur. Find out everything you can and write the details down as soon as possible. Sadly, most dog bite victims who suffer serious injuries are children. You would be amazed at how broad these policies are when it comes to dog bite cases. You may be able to file a lawsuit if you were injured by another person's dog. If you have been injured by a dog, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages and financial losses caused by your injuries. Typically, plaintiffs must show that the owner had knowledge of the dog's vicious inclinations, requiring the owner to anticipate the dog's conduct or actions.
Basically, the one bite rule gives a pet owner an out if their dog attacks someone for the first time. In most cases, dog owners can only avoid paying out compensation if they can prove one of that one of the following two circumstances existed at the time of the attack: The Victim Was Trespassing on the Owner's Property. What specific evidence needs to be preserved. If the owner of the dog that inflicted the injury knew or had reason to know that the dog had dangerous propensities, then the owner faces practically certain liability. Dog attacks can easily leave children with both physical and emotional scars. This is a fact-sensitive issue that deserves the attention of an experienced personal injury attorney. The court upheld that there were three elements that had to be proven against the defendant to show negligence: - Owning the dog. Insurance companies are very skillful at asking questions in a way that will allow them to protect their interests and to defeat your claim. Maryland's law applies to injuries inflicted by other types of dog behavior in addition to dog bites.
Overall, dog owners have a responsibility to make sure their dog is not a hazard to other people, animals, or property. These are some of the dog bite expert witnesses who have testified in other dog bite lawsuits: Call Us Maryland Dog Bite Lawyer. These laws are known as "one bite" rules. Many good dog bite lawsuits in Maryland never see the light of day because there is no insurance coverage and the defendant does not have the money to pay for the harm that was caused. Contact Our Dog Bite Attorney Today. This is as opposed to various other state laws, which only hold owners responsible if they know the dog may act aggressively; for example, has bitten before. The Crofton legal team of dog bite injury attorneys at Henderson Law have over 30 combined years of experience in representing clients. If you talk to the insurance company on your own, they will try to lessen your ability to recover full and fair compensation for your injuries.
What To Do After a Dog Bite. In particular, the court excluded pit bulls from the dog bite rules in general.
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can assist you with your personal injury case. If so, you may be entitled to compensation. The action of seeking immediate medical attention is critical to a personal injury case if you file one down the road in Crofton or another Maryland jurisdiction. This could prevent you from recovering compensation.