Dog bites can cause serious injuries. Often, the resulting psychological injuries far outlast the physical ones. If you were injured because of the actions of a negligent dog owner, an experienced dog bite attorney can help you seek compensation and justice.
Horton Personal Injury Lawyers is here to guide you through the legal process. We begin by conducting a free consultation where we can learn what happened and explain your legal rights for recovery. Contact us today to get started.
Dog bite claims are often complicated. You might not understand the laws surrounding these encounters and your legal rights. An experienced lawyer from Horton Personal Injury Lawyers can help you by:
We encourage you to contact our personal injury law firm to get started with a free case review, during which we can discuss your case and how we can help.
Most states follow either a strict liability or one-bite rule for dog bite cases.
In strict liability states, a dog owner or handler can be held liable if their dog bit someone who was lawfully on the property without having to show they were negligent.
In a one-bite rule state, the dog may be said to have “one free bite” because the dog owner does not necessarily know that the dog has a propensity for violence. These cases require the dog bite victim to show that the dog owner or handler failed to take ordinary care to prevent the dog bite injury.
Arkansas does not have a statewide dog bite statute. Instead, most cases are brought pursuant to a negligence theory. If the dog has bitten someone before, the dog owner should have known the dog had aggressive tendencies and a propensity for violence. If the dog had not bitten a person before, you may still be able to show that the dog owner had knowledge of the dog’s dangerous nature to demonstrate negligence.
Although there is no statewide law regarding dog bites, other laws can affect these types of cases. For example, many cities have leash laws. Rogers’ leash law requires that dogs be under control at all times, requiring a leash, and not permitting only vocal commands to demonstrate the dog is under control. A person could try to use the leash law to show that the defendant was negligent per se, meaning that negligence can be inferred because the person did not follow a law that was designed to protect a certain set of people, and the dog bite injury victim was included in that set of people.
Additionally, it is considered a Class A misdemeanor in Arkansas for a dog owner to negligently allow their dog to attack another person when they know or have reason to know the dog has a propensity to attack, cause injury, or endanger others’ safety without provocation, and the attack causes the death or serious injury to the victim. In addition to other potential penalties, those convicted of this offense can be required to pay restitution for any medical bills that the victim sustained due to the injuries the attack caused.
Dog bites can take many forms. Some only cause minor scratches that don’t break the skin. Others cause lasting scars or injuries that require emergency medical treatment.
Some of the serious injuries that dog bites can cause include the following:
If you were attacked by a dog, the most important thing you should do is seek medical attention immediately so your injuries can be properly diagnosed and treated.
To recover compensation for a dog bite claim in Arkansas, you must be able to show the dog owner was negligent. This means that you can show the following legal elements:
An experienced attorney can help identify and gather relevant evidence to help you prove your case, such as:
Let our legal team handle your case while you focus on your recovery.
Dog bites can have a significant impact on the lives of victims and their families. Medical costs can be exorbitant, and the victim may have to take time off work or away from school to recover from their injuries. They may continue to suffer significant consequences well after the date of the attack.
Through a negligence claim, they can seek financial compensation for the full extent of their losses, including:
An experienced personal injury attorney from our law firm can carefully review your case and determine all the damages you can include in your legal claim.
Every personal injury case is different because injuries affect people in different ways. To determine a fair amount of compensation for your dog bite claim, we would assess factors such as:
Only after a thorough evaluation would we be able to provide you with a better sense of the potential compensation.
If a dog bites you, take these steps to protect yourself:
There may be some steps that you can take immediately to protect yourself from infection or additional harm, including:
Even if you think the injury isn’t that serious, seek medical attention immediately. You could have an infection or be at risk for developing a disease. Medical professionals can run necessary tests and monitor your condition.
Animal attacks must be reported to animal control or the Rogers Police Department. Ask Rogers Animal Services or the Rogers Police Department to provide you with a copy of the report once it is finished. Also, ask if there are any other reports pertaining to the dog or defendant.
If you’re able to do so, try to find out who the dog’s owner is. Ask them for their name and contact information.
Also, ask for their insurance information. Some homeowners’ insurance policies cover claims for dog bites. Your lawyer may be able to file an insurance claim to seek compensation for your losses.
You may begin accumulating various information regarding your dog bite claim, such as:
Keep all of this information organized and provide it to your lawyer.
An experienced dog bite lawyer can advise you of the next steps and protect your legal rights throughout the claim process.
If you suffered an animal bite injury due to someone else’s negligence, you should not have to pay the consequences. Our law firm can help evaluate your legal options, which may include filing a premises liability claim under the dog owner’s homeowners’ insurance policy. We can pursue full and fair compensation for the harm you’ve endured.
Contact us today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation. Our compassionate attorneys can discuss how we can help you during this challenging time.