If you own a pet and that pet is a gentle canine, do not think that you have no reason to worry about being held liable for your dog’s actions. Any species of canine can bite or attack a child or an adult. Even if a small animal seems unable to cause any harm, it could still frighten a surprised individual. In other words, every dog owner should accept certain risks. He or she might one day be held liable for someone’s injury. His or her pet might attack or frighten a child or an adult.
Who pays for the damages?
The damages paid by the victim are usually covered by a homeowner’s or a renter’s insurance policy. Still, the company that issued such a policy will study the extent to which the guilty pet had been controlled by the pet’s owner. If an insurer feels that the owner has failed to make the sort of changes that could prevent another dog bite incident, then that dog owner might lose his or her homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.
Keep in mind, too, that within any municipality, the governing authorities do not want to see dogs running around lose, and posing a danger to others. Every dog should be licensed and placed under the owner’s close control. An owner’s failure to maintain that necessary level of control could result in loss of a dog license.
Could the owner have an adequate defense?
The owner would need to consult with a personal injury lawyer in Burlington. The lawyer would want to know what measures, if any, that same dog lover had used, in order to control his or her pet canine. If adequate measures had been put in place, then the person being held liable for a personal injury might have an adequate defense.
For instance, it could be that someone had damaged or broken the chain that had kept the dog from going after anyone that passed by the residence of the dog’s owner. A defense could be based on proof that someone had caused such damage to the dog owner’s chosen, controlling device.
Maybe it could be proven that the person targeted by the dog’s teeth had come onto the property with the intention of committing a crime. Perhaps he or she intended to steal something from those same premises. Naturally, the legal system would not be ready to promise an award to such a victim. On the other hand, if a provider of services had arrived to help with solving a problem, then the pet’s attempt to bite that same person could introduce a real problem. The owner that had sought help from the service provider could require a lawyer’s assistance.
