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Dog Bites

Dog Bites

OHIO LAWYER FOR DOG BITES & ATTACKS

Dog Bite Injury Attorneys

Just because you love your dog doesn’t mean every dog in Ohio is harmless. There are a variety of ways in which people, especially children, can fall victim to dog bites or animal attacks. There is also a specific set of rules that govern who is liable for dog bites and when an owner might not be considered legally responsible.


Ohio is a “one-bite” state, which essentially means dog owners can potentially avoid liability for their dog’s first bite. However, as with many aspects of personal injury law, there are potential exceptions.

The One-Bite Rule and What It Means for Your Case

There’s an assumption of innocence and harmlessness built into the one-bite rule. Essentially, it means the dog owner only needs to take added precautions to protect people from their pet once they realize their dog poses a threat to other people.


Until the dog either bites someone or acts aggressively toward other people, the dog owner supposedly doesn’t know it’s dangerous. If a dog has bitten someone before, the owner should know it poses a potential risk and take appropriate actions to prevent further attacks. If further attacks occur, the dog owner will be liable for those injuries.


That doesn’t mean every first-bite scenario is a free pass, but it does mean personal injury attorneys may have to work a little harder to win your claim.



What Qualifies as Aggressive Behavior?

Proving that a dog owner knew their pet was potentially dangerous or aggressive before a bite occurs may or may not be possible. It often requires testimony from people who know the owner and the dog. If a neighbor, friend or family member can testify to the dog’s past aggressions, you may be able to establish the owner knew the dog posed a threat.



When a Dog Owner Isn’t Liable for Injuries

There are some other important exceptions to dog bite liability in Ohio. For example, if you’re dog sitting for a friend and the dog bites you, you likely can’t hold that friend liable. If the dog is in your care and you are responsible for its behavior at the time of the attack, you usually can’t sue the dog’s actual owner for injuries it caused.


You also can’t sue a dog owner if you were teasing the animal or provoking it when it bit you. This aspect of dog bite liability can get a bit complicated. There are certainly situations where a person can unknowingly provoke an animal to attack. Proving the case is often a matter of investigation, claim negotiations and in some cases litigation.


You also likely can’t hold a dog owner liable for a dog bite if you were trespassing on their property at the time of the attack. Things can get a little more complicated if the trespasser was a minor.




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Should You Be Compensated for a Dog Bite in Ohio?

Dog bite cases aren’t always straightforward. Before you get disheartened about your chances, speak with a personal injury law firm with experience in dog bite cases. You may be relieved to discover that you have a better chance of getting the compensation you need than you initially thought. The Buckeye Law Group is here to help if you or a loved one ever suffers a serious injury due to a dog bite or animal attack.

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