Call Us 919-240-4054Dogs are an important part of our families. Most dogs are safe to be around people and children, but many dog owners these days don’t train their dogs. Dogs are pack animals and need a leader. An untrained dog will often think that he is in charge or be nervous, and may bite if he feels his position is threatened or if he feels scared.
When a dog bite occurs, you need to seek immediate medical attention for the injured person. The person who has been attacked may have serious or life-threatening injuries needing urgent care.
There are some very important medical reasons to go to the doctor right away after a dog bite. First, dogs’ mouths are full of bacteria, because like it or not, dogs eat feces. If bacteria gets into a person’s bloodstream it can cause an infection. Also, the dog must be tested for rabies. If a dog has rabies, the injured person will need to be treated. Some dog bites result in permanent scarring and disfigurement.
There are two important questions in a dog bite case. First, is the dog a dangerous breed? The North Carolina courts have decided that some dogs can be considered dangerous breeds, meaning they are more likely to bite than others. This means that the owners of these dogs are on notice that their dogs may be dangerous and they need to take steps to protect the public.
Second, has this dog already bitten someone else? If so, that means the owner is on notice that he has a dangerous dog and he needs to look out for other people that the dog may come in contact with, especially by keeping the dog restrained and giving warnings in some circumstances.
Our dog bite lawyers handle cases where a person has been attacked or bitten by a dangerous dog. The owner may have to pay money damages for the medical bills, the pain and suffering, and the scarring and disfigurement of the injured person, especially if the owner knew or should have known that the dog was dangerous. Our dog bite attorneys can file a lawsuit seeking to have the owner pay money if you have been injured because of the owner’s negligence in having a dangerous dog.
Resources:
Local animal services departments respond to reports of dangerous dogs where a person or animal is believed to have been attacked on a routine basis. There are some local ordinances relating to dangerous dogs. For example, Chapter 4, Article VIII of the Durham County Code of Ordinances contains Durham County’s local ordinances governing dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs. Under Section 4-4, the sheriff or someone designated by the sheriff is responsible for determining whether a dog is potentially dangerous under the North Carolina General Statutes. These laws make it clear that certain dogs will automatically be considered dangerous dogs if they have killed or inflicted severe injury on a person or if they have been trained in dog fighting. Other dogs are potentially dangerous if they have bitten a person, attacked another animal, or approached a person in a vicious or terrorizing manner. If the sheriff declares a dog a dangerous dog, the owner must follow confinement requirements.
Samples of cases our dog bite accident lawyers have handled
The following is a sample of cases handled by our dog bite injury attorneys:
A man visiting a bed and breakfast was bitten in the hand by a Golden Retriever belonging to the owner of the B&B. He needed surgery to repair a torn tendon. Soon after he checked into the B&B he learned that another guest had also been bitten, so the owners should have known that the dog was dangerous.
A young boy was visiting the home of a friend. The friend’s parents kept their Great Dane tied up on a chain in the backyard. If the dog owners had done any investigating, or if they had consulted with their veterinarian, they would have known that tying dogs, especially Great Danes, on a chain makes them much more likely to bite. They did not warn our young client that the dog was dangerous, and his arm was badly injured.
A retired school teacher was on his way to give blood at a local church when a pit bull owned by a neighbor of the church attacked him and caused him to lose a portion of muscle from his leg and to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Please contact us immediately if you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite
If you or your family member has been injured by a dog bite, please contact us right away. It is important to act quickly because there are legal deadlines that may prevent you from filing a lawsuit if you wait too long. It is a traumatic experience when a person is bitten by a dog. Our experienced dog bite lawyers are here to help you with the legal process if you or your family member has been bitten by a dangerous dog.
