Dog Bite

If you are injured in a dog attack, the owner of the dog may be legally liable to you for the injuries that you suffered. It would depend on the laws of the state in which the attack occurred. In some states the “one bite” rule applies, meaning that the owner of the dog is liable only if the dog has bitten someone at least once before. If the state has a strict liability rule, the owner is liable if the victim did not provoke the dog and the victim had a legal right to be where they were when the attacked occurred.

The one bite rule states that owners of dogs will be strictly liable for injuries caused by their dog, if the owner knew or should have known that the dog had a propensity for biting based on past behavior. This rule is also referred to as the “one free bite” rule because it shields dog owners from liability for the first bite. If you have been attacked by a dog, you must check to see if the one bite rule applies as not all states have adopted it.

As with any personal injury case, the amount of compensation received by the injured victim depends largely on the severity of the victim’s injuries. Settlements include the amount of the victim’s out-of-pocket losses such as medical expenses and lost wages. It also includes pain and suffering which includes compensation for the psychological suffering the dog attacked caused as well as for permanent injuries suffered by the victim. Average settlements range from $27,876 to $59,789.