Do I Need A Personal Injury Lawyer For A Dog Bite?

A dog bite claim in Louisiana can be more complicated than you realize. If you have been the victim of a dog bite, you may need a personal injury lawyer.

Who Is Liable for a Dog Attack?

Louisiana follows the “one-bite” rule when it comes to animal attacks. This means the owner must meet certain criteria in order to be found liable.

The owner needs to have known or should have known, that the dog posed a danger to others. (This includes previous biting attempts, growling or lunging at people.)
The owner must have taken reasonable steps to prevent any injuries, such as fencing a dog area.
The owner did not take sufficient care to prevent the dog from injuring others, such as not leashing the dog or muzzling it while out.
The injured person or other parties did not provoke the dog into attacking.

Determining who is liable for a Louisiana dog attack can be complex. The dog’s owner is, of course, liable should an injury happen that meets the criteria above. However, other individuals can also be found liable.

Animal keepers, such as a kennel, pound or shelter, may be found liable while the animal is in their custody.
The parents of a minor who owns a dog can be found liable should their child’s animal attack someone and meet the criteria above.
Property owners who allow an animal to be on their grounds may be found liable should the animal bite.
Landlords who know a tenant owns a dangerous animal can be found liable for permitting it to remain on the grounds.

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You

If you have been attacked by a dog, the help of a personal injury lawyer is necessary. First, proving a dog owner’s liability can be complicated due to mitigating circumstances. For example, proving an owner knew their dog was dangerous can be hard. After all, if there are no other recorded incidents of the dog biting, the owner may claim they were unaware. They could also claim you were teasing the dog or illegally on their property.

A dog attack attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve. This can include any medical expenses related to the bite, as well as lost wages due to time off from work, pain and suffering, and property games. Punitive damages may also be awarded if the dog owner acted with gross negligence that resulted in the attack.

If you have been attacked and are considering filing a dog bite claim, contact us today for a consultation.