Hankey Marks & Crider was successful in securing a financial settlement for one of our clients who suffered a nasty arm injury after suffering a pit bull attack. To achieve this victory it was necessary to file a lawsuit against the apartment complex where the attack occurred. Through a lot of patient work by our injury litigation team, however, we were able to compel the apartment complex to offer a decent settlement. It was helpful in this case that the county canine enforcement officers intervened. Not only did they confiscate and quarantine the dog, but they also took photographs of the scene and of our client’s injuries that proved very helpful in our prosecuting the case.
Lessons we can learn:
- Hankey Marks & Crider can help you, not only with Social Security disability, Long Term private/employer disability insurance claims, and worker’s compensations claims, but also with serious personal injury claims.
- You, or your loved one, may have a viable claim against the insured owner of dog who inflicts a dog bite, and against the apartment complex where the bite occurred.
- Certain breeds of dogs are considered dangerous by insurance companies, such as pit bulls, and many insurance policies exclude coverage for pit bulls and other dangerous breeds. This means that the injured person would not be able to obtain a financial settlement if the dog that attacked was the type of dog that was excluded in the insurance policy, usually a home owner’s insurance policy.
- If you own a pit bull, or other dangerous breed, you should know that the law may presume that you already know that your dog is dangerous, even if it has never bitten anyone. This, of course, means that you are well advised to be extra careful with not letting your dog go unleashed.
- Most cities and local governments have specific laws and regulations that require that dogs be walked on a leash, and that they not be allowed to roam unleashed.
The law expects that dog owners, and apartment communities that allow dogs, will be careful in controlling dogs, and will take preventative steps so that others are not attacked and injured.