Silver Spring Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
Dogs are man’s best friend. Unfortunately, sometimes they are trained poorly and attack other people causing injuries. Dog bite cases are very serious, so talk to a Silver Spring dog bite injury lawyer to hear your full list of options. Options such as treatment and maximum compensation. You may never know whether your injury may develop and get worse over time.
Most Common Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bite injuries are serious. They could range from:
- Ripped or torn skin and flesh
- Rabies exposure
- Head injuries
- Neck injuries
- Brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Crush injuries
- Disfiguring injuries
- Facial injuries
- Emotional injuries
- Injuries leaving permanent scars on face, neck, arms, or other body parts
- Loss of life
It’s crazy to think an animal can do this but unfortunately it sometimes happens. If an animal attacks you, it’s unpredictable. With that being said, if a dog attacks, who is responsible? The dog? The owner? Maybe a landlord? Continue reading to find out what happens after a dog bite case.
Who is Liable for a Dog Bite?
To find out who is liable, let’s take it back to a significant time in dog bite injury law. In 2012, Tracey vs. Solesky changed the way dog bite cases were handled. Tracey vs. Solesky involves a pit bull attacking the plaintiff’s child. Before this case in 2012, in Maryland, dog attack cases had to also prove that the owner didn’t try to prevent the dog bite. This means that previous to 2012, if owners acted on their dog hurting someone, they may not be held legally responsible. Other new dog bite laws appeared recently as well. In 2014, a new law was passed so that all dogs were under these strict laws, not just breed-specific dogs. Owners may be held liable for the dog, however someone time landlords may have contributed to part of the issue.
Maryland law states that landlords can be held legally responsible under some circumstances. For example, if the landlord knew about the dog living on the premises and knew their behavior without removing the dog through tenant eviction, that could be considered neglect. Sometimes the landlord can’t remove the dog or tenant and in that case, they have to post adequate warnings and, or appropriately inform their tenants. Another way a landlord could be considered negligent is if they harbored the animal themselves. This would include taking the dog out on walks, feeding it, or even watching the dog while the owner was away. Needless to say many parties could be involved in a dog attack injury.
Dog bite liability has many possibilities. I’m sure you don’t want to be wasting your time wondering and putting the pieces together. A Silver Spring dog bite lawyer would help you gather all the necessary items and should be able to honestly tell you whether or not you have a dog bite case.
What Dog Bite Cases Are Not
Dog bite injury law is very involved. However, what it does not involve is dog to dog or dog to pet contact. Dog bite injury law covers and protects people who are injured. Dog bite cases are also not simple. They can range from a wide variety of injuries. Nonetheless they are more serious injuries. For example, a small scratch from a dog may not fall under dog bite law. With all of these parts of personal injury law, we suggest contacting a Silver Spring dog bite lawyer. That way you know for sure what is involved and what is not.
Why You Need a Silver Spring Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
After a serious injury you may need more than just medical care and treatment. There are other laws involved with personal injury such as statute of limitations. Statute of limitations is a deadline to file suit and start your claim. Contacting a lawyer as soon as you can is important to your claim. The longer you wait the more information to prove and the less chance of maximum compensation.
A Silver Spring dog bite lawyer is there to make sure you gather all the necessary evidence. Proof such as maybe witness testimonies, medical records, picture, video, etc. Oftentimes, an insurance claim will be filed against a person’s homeowners insurance policy. In this case that would be another party involved. Insurance companies won’t take it easy on you. They have to make money too, which unfortunately means they compensate less than they should. A lawyer would not only deal with all parties but also could recommend a good doctor for you to treat at. All you have to do is get better.
It’s sad to even think that a dog bite can happen. Moreover, you can never prepare for it. Even the nicest of dogs could attack another person. The responsibility lies with the owner. They should not only know their dog but make sure they contain their dogs in the best way possible. If not, you may have a dog bite case on your hand. Contact our firm and we will make sure you are treated medically and finically.
Contact our Silver Spring Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Team ASAP
The sooner you contact a lawyer, the better for your case. However, even if your unsure, just call us. We offer free consultation because we know this is a tough time. Hiring a lawyer can positively change the outcome of your situation. You can call us at (888) 982-0906 or submit a form on our website. We want to hear you out. Don’t take it from us, but from those who we have represented.