Animal bites

Don Jacobs

Contributor

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Dogs can be man’s best friend, but what happens when your dog bites another human? Are you responsible? What if the dog never displayed any vicious behavior before? What if the victim did something to provoke the dog? The law on responsibility for animal bites varies by state. Some states require some knowledge that the animal had a propensity to bite. Others have laws that make the owner responsible for the victim’s injury if the dog attack was unprovoked and the victim was in a public place. If the bite occurred on private property the victim is also entitled to damages if there was either an express or implied right to enter. This protects people like meter readers or police who respond to a home alarm. Most often the homeowner insurance of the dog owner will cover the claim, even if the bite occurred well away from the home, such as a public beach. If you are the victim of an animal attack, your rights to compensation vary depending on state law and the type of property where it occurred. Get legal advice soon after it happens.