Many households own dogs in Florida, and many people encounter other people’s dogs on a regular basis. Dogs can be unpredictable, and even the nicest-seeming dog can suddenly attack someone. It’s a really unpleasant experience to be attacked by man’s best friend, and serious bites can lead to agonizing pain, profuse bleeding, severe wound infection, and in rare cases, death.
While cuts or scratches may be minor enough to treat at home with no further action needed, it doesn’t take much for a dog bite to do serious damage. A dog’s jaws are powerful, and their bites have the potential to cause life-changing injuries and disfigurement.
Our St. Johns County dog bite lawyers hope you never have the misfortune of suffering this type of serious injury, but fortunately, you may have a case to receive compensation for your damages and hold the pet’s owner accountable.
Florida is one of many “strict liability” states when it comes to dog bite cases, which means that the owner can be held responsible for injuries even if they didn’t realize their pet’s tendency for aggression. Dog bite cases can also be based on negligence or intentional torts, such as if the owner neglected to keep their dog in check, or deliberately ordered it to attack you.
They may put out a warning sign or keep them behind a gate or fence, at which point it may be harder to raise a case against the owner. However, it can still happen under extenuating circumstances like deliberate attacks or failure to adhere to Florida’s dangerous dog statute, which declares that the owner must take extra precautions if the pet has a known history of violent behavior.
If the victim unlawfully trespassed on the property, knowingly provoked the dog, or the animal was agitated and simply defending itself and its owner from a perceived threat, then there might be defenses against a dog bite claim. It is important to have the right dog bite attorney addressing these issues for you.
For almost a decade, our St. Augustine dog bite attorneys have learned what it takes to navigate tough cases and yield proven results, and they’ll pull out all the stops to guide you through yours. Contact our office directly to speak with a member of our team and arrange a free case evaluation. Contact us online or call 904.657.7117 today.
