Anyone that owns a pet canine should take whatever actions are necessary, in order to prevent the occurrence of an incident such as a dog bite. Sometimes, families that view their canine as a guard dog, make sure that their four-legged guard does not attack an innocent victim. In those cases, the well-controlled pet often has a history of demonstrating violence, when faced with a possible danger.
Still, that does not mean that only those owners whose pets have a history of violence need to maintain a vigil, in order to prevent the occurrence of an unexpected attack against a guest or uninvited visitor. Indeed, the law states that any dog owner must work to prevent such an incident, even if the owner’s pet does not have a history of violence.
Can the owner’s actions affect the size of the compensation awarded to the harmed victim?
Depending on the circumstances, the court might reduce the size of that award, if the dog’s owner has put lots of effort into controlling his or her pet. Yet the most frequent reason for such action becomes obvious if a bitten victim has somehow provoked the animal with the vicious set of teeth.
Anyone that trespasses on private property should not hope to win an award, following submission of a personal injury claim. A trespasser would qualify as someone that has provoked an animal that has the ability to respond with vicious behavior.
On the other hand, the characteristics of a trespasser, in a dog’s mind, might not agree with the law’s definition of a trespasser. For instance, an innocent passer-by could not be held responsible for steps made onto the territory being protected by a female canine, one that is guarding a litter of puppies. That would certainly be true if the canine’s territory included some section of a public sidewalk.
Actions that should be taken by victim of dog bite
Seek immediate medical care. Get contact information for the dog’s owner. If you cannot get the owner’s name, get his or her address. If possible, get the pet’s name. Knowledge of the pet’s name would be especially helpful, if the victim happened to be someone that was acting in the role of service-provider. He or she could well be making a second or third trip to the residence of the poorly-controlled dog. Knowledge of the canine’s name would work to support a claim of having made previous trips to that same location.
A service provider could certainly benefit from possession of such evidence. He or she might be self-employed, and, thus, find it hard to show the true value of the loss endured, due to the effects of the animal’s bite. That is why they need to work closely with an Injury Lawyer in Burlington to get their due compensation.
