It is the duty of a dog owner to protect others from being bitten or attacked. Dog owners have to take responsibility for their part in allowing a pet to become aggressive with others. Dogs may bite for many reasons, maybe they are not properly socialized or trained, while other dogs may bite out of protection of a person or territory. But as a personal injury lawyer clients depend on at Dave Albo explains, trying to figure out why a dog has bitten is not as important as making sure the victim gets the care and compensation they need.
Many people have to be rushed to the emergency room for bite-related injuries. Those who are most vulnerable to injury are children of young age and senior citizens, as their bones are not as strong and skin is more delicate to wounds. Dog bites or attacks can happen to anyone, regardless of age or other characteristics. Victims of animal bites may not only have to deal with the injury itself, but the risk of infection and chances of permanent scarring. Common injuries that victims sustain include bruising, broken bones, facial injuries, scarring, disfigurement, lacerations, skin tears, soft tissue injury, and mental anguish.
A dog may appear friendly but then react aggressively due to a trigger in an environment. But it is not the duty of the general public to control an animal if it is not legally theirs. What it comes down to is the fact that owners of a dog must take measures to keep others safe, by training the dog, keeping the dog away from other people, and ensuring that their home and yard is not easily escapable. If you notice that a dog is out by itself without an owner around, try to get yourself to an area that is safe and provides a barrier or more distance between you. To reduce the chances of getting bitten, consider this insight:
- Do not approach a dog that you do not know.
- Do not run or yell if a dog approaches you.
- Do stay still and try to remain calm if a dog approaches you.
- Do not make direct eye contact with an unknown dog, as this can be interpreted as a threat.
- Do stay in a curled position on the floor and cover your ears if a dog knocks you to the ground.
All in all, it is the duty of dog owners to protect the public from injury. An owner that is negligent and fails to keep their aggressive dog from biting others may have to pay for the victim’s medical bills, loss of wages, property damage, and more. Some dog owners may try to elude responsibility by not giving out their contact information or fleeing the scene. You can report the incident to your local animal control office that takes animal bite reports for your area. They can then attempt to locate the owner and dog so that legal recourse can be pursued.
Victims may be entitled to restitution for how they have suffered since the dog bite accident. To prevent such a liability and inflicting pain onto others, dog owners must take appropriate measures to reduce the likelihood that their animal will cause harm.
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