Dog Bite Injuries

More than 600 Floridians require hospitalization after suffering dog bites every year. What’s more, on average, two of those dog bites each year are fatal. Sadly, most dog bite victims in Florida are children under the age of 14.

Dogs may bite for a variety of reasons, and those reasons are not always clear. Statistically, nearly one-third of dog bites occur outside of the dog owner’s property, when dogs are off-leash. In these cases, victims typically do not know the dog. In other cases, dog bites occur on the owners’ properties, involving victims who were familiar with the attacking animals.

Whether you were bitten by a stranger’s dog or a neighbor’s dog, your injuries may require extensive treatment and rehabilitation. If you or a loved one was bitten by a dog, it is important to seek immediate medical care. You should also report the incident to law enforcement, document the events and circumstances that led to the dog bite, take photos of your injury and of the animal (if it is possible to do so without incurring further harm), and capture the names and contact information for any witnesses to the attack.

Consulting with dog bite accident attorneys can help you understand relevant laws, the legal framework for pursuing your rights under Florida law, time limit considerations, and your options. The location where a dog bite occurs can also impact your claim options. For example, if a dog bites you while you are working, you may have a valid workers’ compensation claim. A dog bite that occurs on someone else’s property could give rise to a premises liability case.

During your initial consultation, your dog bite injury attorneys will ask questions about the incident to determine the best course of action based on the facts and circumstances.

While dog owners are generally responsible for the consequences of their dogs’ behavior, there are some limitations. A victim bitten while trespassing on someone else’s property cannot hold the dog’s owner responsible for the incident. Victims who suffer only property damage but no physical or emotional harm because of a vicious dog cannot claim compensation under Florida’s personal injury laws.

Another limitation applies if a victim was bitten by a police dog or military dog that was performing its duties when the attack occurred. For example, a suspected thief who was apprehended and bitten during a police chase could not file a claim for compensation for injuries sustained.

Florida law also includes a provision that absolves a dog’s owner from responsibility related to dog bite injuries sustained on the owner’s property if, at the time of the incident, the owner had a sign prominently displayed that included the words “Bad Dog.” However, this exemption does not apply if the victim was under age six, or if the owner’s negligence or omission was a proximate cause of the injury.

After a dog bite injury, many victims and their loved ones feel they need some time to recover from their injuries before they consider their options for pursuing justice. However, it is important to understand that there are time limits under Florida law for recovering compensation in dog bite personal injury claims.

In general, victims have up to four years from the date of the incident in which to file a claim for compensation. Waiting until this statute of limitations has passed means victims may not be able to recover any financial compensation. In practice, the sooner you meet with a knowledgeable Florida dog bite attorney to discuss your potential case, the better. It is generally easiest to track relevant evidence and witnesses soon after the attack.

There is also an argument to be made for pursuing a dog bite compensation claim promptly in the interest of holding the animal’s owner accountable, thereby potentially helping other would-be victims avoid injuries.