When A Dog Bites, Your Dog Bite Lawyer Attacks Back.

We all like to think of dogs as man’s best friend. We have fond and loving memories of playing lovingly with our childhood dog in the backyard. Some dogs are our best companions. But, unfortunately, not all dogs are like this. At Spitz Law Firm, your dog bite attorney also knows that even good dogs can attack innocent people.

Every year in the United States, dogs bite an estimated 4.7 million people – two percent of the American population. About 800,000 of these attacks require medical attention. This means that about every 6.5 seconds a dog bites someone, and that every 38 seconds one of these victims seeks medical attention. Sadly, this includes 400,000 children under the age of 12 that are bitten and attacked each year. According to the Center for Disease Control’s most recent study, 12 people will die on average per year from dog attacks. This study of fatal dog bites by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 80 percent of the 25 dog bite deaths over a two year span were children under 12 – including three infants less than 30 days old, all of whom were killed in their sleep by the family dog.

Amazingly, these statistics do not take into account that about one third of all dogs bite cases are never even reported.

Dog bites and attacks can cause serious and disfiguring bite marks and other injuries that require reconstructive surgery and still leave permanent scars. Dog attacks can result in far more than physical pain and disfigurement. Some dogs will pass on rabies or other diseases. Many victims, especially children, will be haunted by the trauma and develop a paralyzing long-term fear of dogs. All of these factors must be considered and addressed by your Cleveland dog bite lawyer to maximize the value of your claim and settlement.

At the urging of dog bite lawyers and concerned citizens, the Ohio legislature enacted a strict liability dog bite statute. Under Ohio Revised Code § 955.28, the attacking dog’s owner is liable for all damages when the dog bites a person in either a public place or when the victim is legally on the owner’s property as a guest or a business invitee. In enacting this statute, the legislature took away the former rule giving the dog “one free bite” before the owner could be held liable. Now, the only defense to this strict liability statute is where the victim has provoked the dog.

Again, as your dog attacks law firm, we know that some very good dogs occasionally bite and cause serious injury. In most dog bite cases, the pet owner’s insurance covers the cost of compensation for your or your loved one’s injuries. The dog owner typically does not have to pay anything personally. If you have been injured by a dog owned by a close friend, relative, or neighbor, don’t hesitate to talk to your dog bite attorney about how to proceed with your injury claim case. Failure to act will only benefit the insurance companies.

In order to protect your or your loved ones’ rights in dog bite cases, it is important to call the right dog attack attorney. Otherwise, insurance adjusters may try to blame you for provoking the dog; attempt to place responsibility with a parent for not watching the child victim; or even try to rely on the no longer existing “one free bite” rule. Call The Spitz Law Firm today so we can help you today with your dog bite claim.

Call The Right Cleveland Dog Bite Injury Attorney 24/7 At: 1-888-70-RIGHT or (216) 291-4744