Personal Injury -
Dog Attacks in Georgia
Dog Bite Cases
It is estimated that the insurance industry pays out $489 million dollars in claims each year for dog bites. This dollar figure accounts for 1/3 of homeowner liability claims paid by the insurance companies. The most expensive claims involve children disfigured by a dog bite.
In fact, children are most at-risk of receiving serious injuries caused by a dog bite. More than 2 million children receive a dog bite each year. Dogs are most likely to bite a child on his/her head or neck. Fatal dog bite injuries occur at the highest rate with children under 10 years of age.
Georgia’s Dog Bite statute and negligence laws hold dog owners liable for injuries caused by their pets.
O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7 Owner of vicious or dangerous animal which causes injury may be liable in damages
A person who owns or keeps a vicious or dangerous animal of any kind and who, by careless management or by allowing the animal to go at liberty, causes injury to another person who does not provoke the injury by his own act may be liable in damages to the person so injured. In proving vicious propensity, it shall be sufficient to show that the animal was required to be at heel or on a leash by an ordinance of a city, county, or consolidated government, and the said animal was at the time of the occurrence not at heel or on a leash.
Victims of dog bites may be entitled to recover if he can prove one of the three legal arguments:
(1) The dog is dangerous (the owner knows this fact or should know this fact), the owner was careless in their handling of the dog or allowed the dog to roam free, and the dog bit the victim without any provocation which caused injury;
(2) The owner violated a local law or ordinance, such as leaving the dog unleashed, and the dog bit the victim without any provocation which caused injury;
(3) The owner was negligent in the care and management of the dog and the dog bit the victim without any provocation which caused injury. One example is if the owner fails to keep the dog on their own property.
Proving that a dog is dangerous or that an owner was negligent can become a difficult element to prove in court, especially when the victim does not have proof of previous incidents of the dog biting another person. An experienced personal injury attorney can help a dog bite victim to prove his case for a maximum recovery.
To ensure you receive the full recovery your family deserves, you should contact an experienced dog bite attorney in Georgia. Call Georgia’s top rated dog bite lawyer, Terance Madden, at 770-978-6711. Visit our law firm website: www.tmaddenlaw.com. Turning Injury To Cash!
T. Madden & Associates | www.tmaddenlaw.com | 770-978-6711
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