Florida Personal Injury Guide

Florida Personal Injury Guide

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Melbourne Dog Bite Lawyers

If you were seriously injured by a dog bite in the Melbourne area, or anywhere in Florida, you may be able to pursue substantial compensation for your injuries.

In Florida, dog owners are “strictly liable” for injuries that their dogs cause by biting other people. That means that you can hold the dog owner legally responsible without having to prove that the dog owner was negligent. That can make it easier for you to win your case.

The Melbourne dog bite lawyers at Layman Law Firm, P.L., would be glad to provide a free consultation to discuss whether you have a good case to pursue financial compensation from the dog owner.
 

Florida Law on Dog Bites

Section 767.04 of the Florida Statutes contains the law that governs a dog owner’s responsibility to a person who is bitten by their dog. As mentioned above, a dog owner, under Florida law, is strictly liable for the expenses and losses that someone suffers because they were bitten by the owner’s dog.

Most of the time, in personal injury law, you’d have to show that the other person was negligent in order to obtain compensation. For example, in a car crash case, you’d need to prove the other driver was negligent, that they were speeding, or had too much to drink, or were distracted by their phone, or in some other way had not been driving as carefully as they should.

But in Florida, dog bites are different. It doesn’t matter if the dog owner was negligent or not. For example, maybe the owner had no reason to know that their dog was capable of biting anyone. Maybe the dog had, in fact, never bitten anyone before and never before showed any signs of aggression. In those situations, the owner wouldn’t be negligent, but you would still have the legal right to seek financial compensation from the owner for your injuries.
 

Exceptions to Strict Liability for Dog Bites

This strict liability law applies whenever a dog bites a person while that person is in a public place or is on the dog owner’s property (or on other private property) with the owner’s permission or for another legal reason, such as delivering mail. Someone who is bitten by a dog while trespassing on the dog owner’s property may not be able to collect compensation.

If the person who is bitten is negligent, and their negligence is part of the reason the dog bit them, then they can still hold the dog owner responsible, but the bitten person’s compensation will be reduced in proportion to how much they are at fault for the bite. Also, in cases where the dog owner has a “Bad Dog” sign posted, liability can be impacted.

As you can see, Florida dog bite law can be complicated. The experienced Melbourne dog bite lawyers at Layman Law can help you understand the law and take appropriate action.  Please call us at 321-773-2111 or fill out the contact form on our website to discuss your case and get expert advice on next steps.
 

Injuries from Dog Bites

Dog bites may cause serious injuries or even death in Melbourne and throughout Florida and the United States. Nationally, dog bite injuries are the 13th most common reason that people seek care in hospital emergency rooms. Every year, about 4.5 million people get bitten by dogs, and almost 20% of them have to get medical care. Nearly 27,000 need reconstructive plastic surgery.

At least half of dog bite victims are children, and they are more likely to be seriously injured than adults. Children are also more likely to be bitten on the face and neck. These bites can be severe and, sometimes, fatal.

For both children and adults, dog bites are often painful. They may cause bleeding, tearing of the skin, muscle injury, or bone injury.

Some of the most serious dog bite injuries are the result of infections. Dogs have many types of bacteria in their mouths. As many as 18% of dog bites become infected, which may cause serious disease, including:

  • Rabies is a virus that is almost always fatal without vaccination before or after exposure.
  • Pasteurella is a bacteria present in more than half of infected dog bite wounds. It can cause people with weakened immune systems to become seriously ill.
  • Capnocytophaga is another type of bacteria transmitted by dog bites that is dangerous for people with weakened immune systems.
  • Tetanus is a toxin produced by bacteria in deep bite wounds that may cause paralysis.
  • MRSA is a staph infection that can cause lung, skin, and urinary tract infections. If it spreads to the lungs or bloodstream, the infections can be life-threatening.

If you were seriously injured by a dog bite, you deserve compensation for all the costs and losses that the dog bite caused. Our Melbourne dog bite lawyers have extensive experience fighting for justice for dog bite victims.
 

Compensation Available for Melbourne, Florida, Residents for Dog Bite Injuries

You may be entitled to substantial compensation for your severe dog bite injuries. You may be compensated for your:

  • Current and future medical expenses, including medication, hospitalization, doctor visits, and home care
  • Lost income
  • Pain
  • Trauma and emotional anguish
  • Scarring or disfigurement
  • Loss of ability to do what you were able to do before the dog bite
  • Your family’s loss of your company and support

The experienced Layman Law Firm Melbourne dog bite lawyers will gather evidence showing the full extent of your need for compensation for all your injury-related expenses and losses. We are committed to getting fair and full compensation for all our dog bite clients.
 

What a Melbourne Dog Bite Lawyer Can Do for You

If you become a Layman Law Firm client, our experienced Melbourne dog bite lawyers will fight for your right to receive all the compensation that Florida law provides. We have worked with many Melbourne people whose lives were turned upside down by severe injuries and diseases from dog bites. We know how important a generous settlement can be to getting your life back on track.

We will gather evidence and build a strong case showing your full need for compensation for your injuries, including expenses and losses that you are experiencing now as well as those you can be expected to have in the future for as long as the injuries are affecting your life.

We will negotiate with the dog owner’s insurance company on your behalf. We will never accept any settlement offers that do not provide all the compensation you deserve. We will continue to fight for justice until you get a fair settlement.

We will always stand up for you and always be by your side throughout the entire legal process. We’ll keep you informed of all the key developments in your case and gladly answer your questions. We invite you to call us at 321-773-2111 or fill out the contact form on our website to set up a free consultation and case review. We want to hear about what happened to you, and we’ll let you know if you have a good case for pursuing compensation.