When to Call a Dog Bite Lawyer in Florida
Learn when to contact a dog bite lawyer in Florida. Protect your rights and secure compensation by taking timely legal action. Don’t wait, call now!
As affectionate, adorable, and loyal as dogs are, they can bite if they feel scared or threatened or want to protect something they value, such as their human families, puppies, or toys. Such incidents are common in Florida; data from The Zebra shows that the state’s dog bite rate is the second-highest of all states, at 25.2 out of every 100,000 people.
If you or a loved one in West Palm Beach, FL, has suffered from injuries or psychological harm due to someone else’s dog attacking you, a dog bite lawyer can help you recover compensation.
To that end, our team at Felice Trial Attorneys put together this guide with practical legal advice for dog bites. Read on to discover when and why you should call a personal injury attorney in Florida specializing in the dog bite legal process in West Palm Beach.
Your Injuries Are Severe
As explained by an article from Harvard Health Publishing, severe dog bite injuries may include:
- Bites on the face
- Injuries that cause heavy bleeding
- Broken bones
Unvaccinated dogs may also carry viruses that cause rabies and transmit them to people they bite. Rabies is a dangerous, potentially fatal disease affecting the central nervous system. While rabies in domestic animals like dogs and cats are much less common than in wildlife, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases says they still account for 10% of rabies cases in the U.S.
So, if you or your loved one sustains any of the above injuries or if you suspect the dog that bit you has rabies, it’s imperative to seek medical attention immediately. However, as you can imagine, professional medical care or hospitalization can be exorbitant; as NCH Stats reports, in Florida, the daily average cost of an in-patient stay is $2,826. The more severe your injuries are, the higher your potential treatment costs, as you may:
- Have to stay in the hospital for many days
- Need more medications
- Require more procedures
For those reasons, please call a personal injury attorney specializing in Florida dog bite laws. With your lawyer’s knowledge, skills, and expertise, they can help you recover compensation for dog bites, including for your:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Pain and suffering
The Dog’s Owner Is Uncooperative
In Florida, most dog bite cases fall under strict liability, meaning dog owners are legally liable for attacks, bites, and damage their animals cause. Part of their liability is to pay the bitten person’s medical bills and other damages. In most cases, the animal owner’s homeowner’s insurance company will cover these expenses.
The problem is if the dog owner doesn’t want to cooperate and share their insurance information with you. They might do this to prevent their home insurance premiums from increasing, which can happen if they file a dog bite claim.
Regardless of the reason behind the pet owner’s uncooperativeness, don’t let them get away with things. Instead, immediately consult a dog bite lawyer to help with your personal injury claim or lawsuit.
The Pet Owner Claims You Provoked Their Dog
Under Florida Statutes Title XLV, Chapter 767 (Damage by Dogs, Dangerous Dogs), dog owners are liable for damages caused by their animals to people who were:
- In or on a public space
- Lawfully in or on a private place (including the dog owner’s property)
- Conducting themselves legally and peacefully and not provoking the dog before the attack or bite
However, the law also states that if the negligence of a person bitten by a dog caused the animal to attack in the first place, the dog owner’s liability will decrease. The decrease will be proportionate to the percentage of the bitten person’s negligence that contributed to the incident.
For that reason, it’s not uncommon for animal owners to use the provocation defense. For instance, the person who owns the dog that attacked you or your loved one may claim that you provoked their pet, leading to the bite that occurred in a public space.
If you didn’t do such a thing, your best option is to partner with a dog bite lawyer. Your attorney can help by gathering evidence, such as:
- Witness testimonials
- Camera footage from CCTVs and dash cams in or near the site of the incident
- The dog’s medical and bite history
Your lawyer will look into the above to find proof to disprove the animal owner’s false allegations that you provoked their dog.
The Animal Meets the “Dangerous Dog” Classification
Florida Statutes Title XLV, Chapter 767, Section 11 defines dangerous dogs as those with records from animal control authorities stating that the animals have:
- Aggressively attacked, bitten, severely injured, or endangered humans on public or private property
- Severely injured or killed other domestic animals while outside the owner’s property
- Chased or approached people on public grounds menacingly without prior provocation
Owners of dogs classified as “dangerous” must adhere to strict requirements under Florida Statutes Title XLV, Chapter 767, Section 12. For example, they must keep the animal within the safety confines of a proper enclosure. They may take their dogs outside the enclosure but should put a muzzle and use a leash.
Failure to comply with those requirements can result in a dangerous dog escaping and attacking people outside of their owner’s property. If this happens, the owner is guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor under Florida Statutes 775.082 or 775.083.
If a dangerous dog has bitten you or a loved one due to their owner’s negligence, you may be able to recover additional damages. A highly experienced personal injury attorney specializing in dog bite cases can help you explore all possible avenues of compensation.
Let an Experienced Dog Bite Lawyer Fight for Your Rights
In addition to medical professionals, you should also consider seeking assistance from a dog bite lawyer immediately after one has bitten you or a loved one. Even more so if you’ve sustained severe injuries, its owner is uncooperative or making false claims against you, or the animal classifies as a “dangerous dog.”
Our team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers at Felice Trial Attorneys can assist with your dog bite claim in West Palm Beach, FL. With over 75 years of combined expertise in personal injury, worker’s compensation, and Social Security Disability law, we will protect your rights and help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Call us today for a complimentary case evaluation.
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