Liability for Dog Bites: Navigating MA Dog Bite Laws
Dogs can make wonderful pets if they are trained well and supervised by their owners. However, some dogs bite - out of fear, protection, or warning. Approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States. Dog bites can cause physical, psychological, and financial harm.
What should you do if you have been bitten by a dog?
Being bitten by a dog can be a frightening situation. If you or a loved one have been bitten by a dog, you want to:
Seek medical attention for your injuries right away.
Obtain the names and contact information of the dog owner and any witnesses. Also try obtain the name of the dog.
Take pictures of the injury and the location of the attack if possible.
Not all injuries are physical. Being bitten or attacked by a dog can be a traumatic event that may require psychological treatment and support.
Many victims of dog bites or attacks hesitate to file a claim. People worry that the dog who bit them will have to be euthanized. After a dog bite animal control will order the dog to quarantine for ten days. The dog may be labeled as a “nuisance” or “dangerous” and the owner may be required to take additional precautions to control the dog. Euthanization of a dog is not common.
Dog bite cases tend to be simple ones. Massachusetts is a strict liability dog bite state. The injured person does not have to prove that that the dog’s owner or controller was at fault or negligent in any way. If a dog damages the body or property of another, the owner or keeper of the dog is liable for the damage the dog caused unless the person injured by the dog provoked the dog by teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog or they were trespassing when bitten.
Liability claims related to dog bites
Dog bites and other dog-related injuries cost homeowners insurers $1.1 million dollars in in 2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm®.
The average cost per claim increased 31.7 percent in 2022 to $64,555 from $49,025 in 2021.
The average cost per claim nationally has risen 131.7 percent from 2013 to 2022, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs, which are trending upwards.
Source: Insurance Information Institute
If you are injured and in need of legal advice our experienced attorneys can help you. Attorneys Jim Brady & Associates, PC in Walpole, Ma. have assisted hundreds of dog bite victims through their cases with expertise and compassion. They will help you get the compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one are bitten by a dog, you can contact us.
