Owning a pet can bring a lot of happiness, but it can also be a liability. If you are bitten by a dog, the dog’s owner will most likely be held liable for your injuries. But, this does not mean that dog bite victims always recover compensation by filing a personal injury claim. Many owners will try to escape liability by relying on one of these common defense strategies used in dog bite cases:
The Victim Was Trespassing
Pet owners are only liable for dog bite injuries if the victim was lawfully on the property at the time of the accident. Therefore, the defendant may try to claim that you were trespassing at the time of the dog bite. If you were not supposed to be on the property at the time of the accident, the defendant may not be held liable for the attack.
The Dog Was Provoked
The defendant may also claim that the victim provoked the dog prior to the attack by getting too close to him, taking something from him, or engaging in other behavior that could agitate an animal. The logic behind this defense strategy is the defendant should not be liable for the victim’s injuries since the victim was responsible for provoking the dog in the first place. However, it can be difficult for a defendant to prove that the dog was provoked, especially if there are witnesses or if the dog has a history of biting people.
The Victim Was Warned
Dog owners often put up warning signs so visitors know there is an aggressive dog in the vicinity. For example, these signs may say “Beware of Dog” or “Warning: Dog May Bite” and may be posted in a window, on a door, or in the yard in front of the house. A defendant can escape liability in a dog bite case by proving that there was one of these signs posted on their property on the day of the attack. However, the victim may still be able to recover compensation if he can prove that the sign was not clearly visible to visitors when the incident occurred.
If you have been bitten by a dog, contact Reisch Law Firm today. Our personal injury attorneys will poke holes in the defendant’s defense strategy and recover the compensation that you deserve. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form.
