Dog Bite Injury

Sarasota Dog Bite Injury Attorneys

According to Dog Bite Injury Law, approximately 4.7 million victims sustain dog bites every year in the United States. Of those victims, 1,000 are treated in emergency rooms every day. In 2007, there were 33 fatal dog attacks nation-wide, with Florida having the third highest fatality rate. The majority of the victims who seek medical attention are children. Half of them have been bitten in the face. The financial losses from dog bite injury, each year, top $1 billion.

According to the National Safety Council, dog bite injury ranks in the top 10 causes of non-fatal injuries for children ages 1 to 4 years old and the 10 to 14 year old age group.  In 2008, these two age groups alone had a total of 70,947 dog bite injury reports.

Dog Bite Injury Lawsuits

The owner’s of dogs have a legal obligation to control their dogs at all times, regardless if they are considered a vicious dog or not. The state of Florida has very specific laws governing dog bites, the victims, and the owner’s of the dog. In the state of Florida, the owner of any dog that bites any person while in a public place or while lawfully in a private place is liable for the damages suffered by the person who was bitten, regardless of the previous viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness. – as provided by Florida Statute 767.04

However, if negligence by the person bitten can be shown, that resulted in the dog bite, the liability of the owner is diminished. For example, the owner has a “Bad Dog” sign displayed on the fence to the back yard. A person ignores the sign, enters the back yard and is bitten. This example would show negligence on the victim’s part and would diminished the owner’s liability for the attack. The only exception to this law is if the victim is under the age of 6.

If you or someone you love has been bitten or killed in a dog attack, you may be entitled to damages. A lawyer handling dog bite cases from Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A. – serving Sarasota, Bradenton, and Greater Southwest Florida – can provide sound legal counsel and diligent representation.

What if my pet was attacked by someone else’s dog?

Florida Statute 767.01 states – Owners of dogs shall be liable for any damage done by their dogs to a person or to any animal included in the definitions of “domestic animal” and “livestock” – as provided by Florida Statute 585.01.

Contact a Sarasota and Bradenton Personal Injury Attorney

To schedule a no cost consultation with an attorney who handles dog bite injury cases in the greater Sarasota area, contact the law offices of Lutz, Bobo & Telfair, P.A., today.