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About 800,000
dog bites per year need medical attention. 1,000
per day need treatment in hospital emergency rooms.
Most of the victims are children. Severe injuries
occur almost exclusively in children less than
10 years of age.
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The majority
of dog attacks (61%) happen at home or in a familiar
place, and the face is the most frequent target
(77% of all injures).
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The breeds considered
to be the highest risk for biting are Pit Bulls,
Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Huskies, Alaskan
Malamutes, Doberman Pinschers, Chows, Great Danes,
St. Bernards and Akitas. In 8 out of 10 cases,
the attack dog is male.
Irresponsible Dog Owners
Owners of high-risk breeds should be aware that if
their dogs attack a person, the attack might be scrutinized
by law enforcement. The reason is that irresponsible
behavior with a dog whose breed is known to bite has
caused a rising and unacceptable injury and death
toll.
"Irresponsible behavior" is defined
differently from state to state. In California, for
example, it can be a felony for a person to possess
a dog trained to fight, attack or kill
that, because of the owner's lack of ordinary
care, bites two people or seriously
injures one person.
Any dog can turn into a dangerous dog.
The owner most often is responsible -- not the breed,
and not the dog. An irresponsible owner or dog handler
might create a situation that places another person
in danger by a dog, without the dog itself being
dangerous. An individual
dog may be a good, loving pet, even though its breed
is considered to be likely to bite. A responsible
owner can win the love and respect of a dog, no
matter its breed.
Fair Compensation
In every state, a victim can recover compensation
from (a) a person whose negligence caused the attack,
(b) a person who violated a leash law or a law prohibiting
dogs from "running at large," and (c)
a person who kept a dog with the knowledge that
the dog had a history of injuring people. Generally,
dog bite statutes make a dog owner responsible for
all bites, even if the dog never bit anyone before.
Sometimes a victim can recover compensation from
people who, at first glance, might appear to have
little to do with the dog. For example, a landlord
might be liable if he knows that a tenant keeps
a dog that bites people, provided that the landlord
has the legal power to get rid of the tenant. Or
a day care center might be liable for permitting
someone with a large, aggressive dog onto the premises.
O’Malley & Langan
specializes in dog bite cases
where children or delivery persons were injured.
If you or someone you know was
bitten by a dog, find out what your legal options
are. Contact O’Malley
& Langan for your free consultation
and we’ll help you prove the dog owner or handler
was irresponsible.
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