It’s More Than Just Biting

You are responsible for your pets, even if they don’t bite someone.

If your dog bites someone, it should not surprise you that you could be held legally liable. But the law is much broader than just dog bites. For example, if your dog jumps on someone, knocking them over and causing injury, the law will likely hold you responsible. Other surprising examples where there can be liability are when someone is injured while trying to avoid a dog. We handled a case where a mail carrier jumped off a porch to avoid being bitten by a dog and broke his ankle. We also represented a girl who fell off her bike while being pursued by several pit bulls. We made recoveries from homeowner’s insurance on both of these claims. These examples show that a dog owner not only has a responsibility when his dog bites someone, but also a responsibility to keep his dog under control.