Dog owners that visit the dog park want to feel safe. They want to know that they are not going to be attacked by a dog, but of course dog bite injuries can happen anywhere. Many people assume that if they are bitten in a dog park, the owner of the dog is not at fault because the victim chose to go to a place where they knew many dogs would be off their leash.
Is this true or do they still have a right to a personal injury claim against the dog’s owner? Much depends on the state in which the dog attack occurred. Keep reading to find out what you could expect if this happened in California. If you have been injured in a dog accident, or another type of personal injury accident, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
California Leads the United States in Dog-Bites
Believe it or not, more than four million people are injured by dog bites every year throughout the United States. These injuries can result not just in expensive medical bills, but long-term trauma and lost income. While this is not good news for us, there is good news for the victims of these accidents: There are often legal options to recover damages for these accidents.
Owners of Dogs Are Responsible for Injuries Caused by Their Dogs in Most Cases
In California, there is no “one bite” law as other states have. What does this mean? In some other states, in order to hold a dog owner responsible for their dog biting a person, the injured party must prove that the dog owner had prior knowledge that their dog was violent or likely to bite. In California this is not required – the law considers that when the owner took on the dog, they were taking on liability or any injury it may cause to humans.
Of course, it is not always this cut and dry. What happens when someone taunts a dog? What if a dog is acting to protect its owner in a dangerous situation? What if the dog is acting to protect itself? In these and other situations, the owner may not be at fault after all.
Being at a Dog Park Does Not Change Liability
The fact of the matter is that if you go to a dog park, you are doing so with the understanding that other dog owners would not bring a dangerous dog to the park. You are not taking on responsibility for irresponsible dog owners. If you are attacked by a dog while at the dog park, or if your dog is attacked, then you may have legal recourse. Contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 now to request a free legal consultation and learn more.
