Dogs are great animals — man’s best friend, some might say — but they are animals first and foremost, not people. Therefore, different rules apply to them when they hurt or injury somebody. How does the law handle situations where animals end up causing bodily harm to humans?
It is usually the owner who must pay the price.
The state of Ohio has decided to raise the amount of money that can be sought in dog bite cases after a 12-year-old girl was mauled by an out of control dog and sustained a major head injury. The girl survived, but her mother could only collect a limited amount of money to help pay for her medical bills under the previous state law.
To be honest, our personal injury attorneys in San Diego feel that bad dogs are usually a reflection of bad owners. So when dog bites cause children’s injuries and emotional trauma for the people they attack, then the law must step in and take action. That usually results in a personal injury claim against the dogs’ owners.
The Ohio Supreme Court voted 5-2 in January, 2010, to up the amount of money that owners of dogs who attack people should have to pay. Now, the United States Supreme Court says that injured persons can file negligence claims against dog owners and possibly receive punitive damages in the future. That is good news for the family of the 12-year-old who suffered the dog bite to her head and was only awarded a $5,000 personal injury settlement.
The dog bite attorneys who work at our firm feel that this is a positive step forward and will hopefully prevent future accidents of dogs biting people. When you think about it, nobody likes to lose money and nobody likes to get hurt. With this law going into affect in Ohio, hopefully people will think twice about raising a malicious canine because it could come back around and bite them in the wallet later on down the road.
What are your feelings on this new ruling? Do you think it is fair to blame the owner the actions of their animals? What should happen with dogs who do bite, even if it is only the first time?
If you or a loved one have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, then we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible at 1-800-655-6585 or please click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you owe us nothing until we recover money on your behalf.
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- Dog Bite Attack Hospitalizes Boy In Los Angeles County
Tags: dog bites, Ohio Supreme Court, personal injury lawsuits
This is a great ruling, not because it exposes owners to any undue liability, but because it allows victims of dog attacks to gain compensation for their injuries that can sometimes require a lifetime of care.