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A dog bite may be disfiguring and even fatal. Dog owners have a responsibility to ensure their dog is not a danger to the community.
If a dog bit you, its owner may be liable for your damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer could guide you through the legal process of seeking compensation. If you or a family member experienced a dog bite, a skilled Chesterton dog bite lawyer could help you seek the compensation you need to pay costly medical bills and other expenses. En Español.
Chesterton has strict dog bite laws to hold dog owners accountable for keeping dangerous or aggressive dogs. Liability often depends on who the victim is and the circumstances under which they suffered the dog bite.
The state has especially strict laws governing when a dog bite victim was carrying out government duties. This typically applies to postal workers, law enforcement, and military personnel. Dog owners may be strictly liable for bites to these individuals, even if the dog owner did not act negligently. An experienced Chesterton dog bite lawyer may reference these laws when building a civil case.
Even when a dog bite does not fall under Chesterton’s strict liability standard, a dog owner may still be liable under general negligence laws. The standard the court looks to is whether the dog owner exercised reasonable care.
Some places maintain a so-called one free bite rule where owners are not typically responsible for a dog’s first bite, especially if it has never shown a tendency to be aggressive. Chesterton does not subscribe to this rule.
Under the law, a dog owner may still be negligent when a dog bites someone for the first time. The court may also hold dog owners who are supervising children when a dog bite occurs to a stricter standard.
The court may also consider whether the dog owner violated any laws when determining civil liability for an injury. For instance, if a dog owner violates local leash ordinances and the dog bites someone, the owner may be automatically liable for damages. In other words, the violation of the law may be automatic negligence. Speak with a Chesterton dog bite lawyer to learn more.
When a dog owner is aware that their dog has a dangerous propensity to bite, they also may be responsible for any subsequent bites. The guideline for whether a dog has a dangerous propensity includes that the animal tends to act in a vicious manner or endanger the safety of people, even if only under certain circumstances. However, a dog barking at strangers is not typically enough to be a dangerous propensity.
Dog owners should make sure their dogs are not threats to the public. When a dog bites someone because of the owner’s negligence, victims may have options. Often, individuals could receive compensation for the costs related to their dog bite injury.
An experienced Chesterton dog bite lawyer may investigate the circumstances of how the dog bite happened, as well as the dog’s history and whether the dog has shown a propensity to be dangerous. Even if a dog is not dangerous, the owner may still be liable for their dog’s bites. Call us today for more information.