Many New Jersey residents have pets. These same individuals also often invite friends and family over and have them interact with the pet. Most of the time, the pet is well-trained, or at least trained well enough, to prevent injuries from occurring. But other times the animal will snap and attack a defenseless houseguest. Such an attack can leave the victim seriously injured and may give rise to legal action.
One lawsuit against a woman for a dog bite incident has recently been settled for $75,000. In that case, a 7-year-old girl was visiting her aunt when two Labrador Retrievers injured her. The girl suffered wounds to her shoulder, neck and scalp and had to receive ten stitches. The settlement comes eight months into litigation and was reached after the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance refused to settle the claim.
A dog bite can be a traumatic experience for anyone, but especially for children. The attack can leave a victim with disfigurement, physical pain and scarring, and emotional pain that is difficult to overcome. The victim may need medical care, plastic surgery, and counseling to move past the incident. The best way to receive compensation for these damages is to file a lawsuit against the animal’s owner.
In many animal bite cases, blanket liability applies. This means the owner or the person responsible for the animal at the time of the injury will be held responsible, unless the animal was being provoked by the victim. If the animal owner owns a home and carries homeowner’s insurance, then the victim can seek to recover compensation from the insurer. No matter the situation, an experienced animal bite attorney can assist in applying applicable statutes to the situation and make legal arguments to give the victim the best possible chance at success.
If a dog bite case is won by the victim, then compensation may be recovered to make her life a little better. These monetary awards might be used to pay off medical expenses and ease pain and suffering related to the serious injury. With the help of a caring and dedicated attorney, hopefully these awards will be obtained and the victim can take the first steps toward reacquiring her normal life again.
Source: West Chester Patch, “$75,000 Settlement in Child Dog Bite Case,” Nate Adams, Oct. 3, 2013
