All dog owners have a responsibility to control their pets. When someone else’s dog bites you, the owner may be held financially responsible for your injuries.
According to a Duluth, GA personal injury lawyer at The Pendergrass Law Firm, PC, Georgia law holds dog owners liable for bites and other injuries that occur when local leash laws are violated, or the dogs are known to be dangerous.
Understanding Georgia’s Strict Liability Laws for Dog Bites
A dog owner is strictly liable for any bites or injuries that occur while their dogs are not leashed per local leash laws. They can be held liable whether or not the dog had previously bitten anyone or not.
Most of Georgia’s counties have leash laws that stipulate how and when a dog needs to be restrained. If there was no violation of a leash law, a dog bite victim needs to prove that the dog should be classified as a dangerous dog to hold the dog owner liable.
How Does Georgia Define a Dangerous Dog?
Every dog is different, but some of them are known to be far more aggressive than others; as such, they may be legally classified as dangerous or vicious. In Georgia, a dangerous dog is defined as one that inflicts severe injuries on a person without any provocation.
This doesn’t apply to dogs that are working in law enforcement. The law also doesn’t protect people who are attacked when trespassing on a property or anyone that is tormenting or assaulting the dog
If a dog bit you, you might be able to hold the owner liable for your injuries if the dog is considered a vicious or dangerous animal. If the dog owner allowed their dog to run loose or carelessly managed the animal, or you were doing nothing to provoke the dog when it bit you, you should speak to an attorney about pursuing compensation.
What Should I Do After Being Attacked by a Dog in Georgia?
If you did nothing to provoke the dog bite and were not trespassing, you could successfully hold the dog owner liable for the attack. You will need to prove that the dog was allowed to attack you and that you sustained physical injuries or suffered mental anguish and financial loss from the bite.
Since Georgia uses a comparative negligence model, you will want to have an attorney represent you since the owner may argue you were partly to blame for the dog bite. A lawyer will help to prove you did nothing to provoke the attack, so you should not have your compensation compromised.
A lawyer is also instrumental if you are suing on behalf of your children. Young children are most often the victims of these kinds of attacks because they fail to recognize when canines feel threatened. After getting treatment for a dog bite for yourself or your children, speak to an attorney to learn more about strict liability and what it means for your particular circumstance.
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