personal injury
Animal Attacks
An animal attacks in Florida can result in minor to severe injuries requiring the person to undergo medical treatment or surgery. These treatments are accompanied by expensive medical bills and long recovery time. As per Florida law, under most of the circumstances, the animal owner is accountable for injuries or property damage caused by his or her animal. This type of liability is termed as “liability without fault” or “strict liability”. The basis of this type of liability is that, people who engage themselves in a certain type of activities must do so at their own risk, and they may be considered liable for any damage, even when the activity was carried out in the most careful way.
So, if you or any of your family members have received dog bite, the owner becomes liable for your medical bills and other damages. However, you need a capable and experienced animal attacks attorney in Florida to explore and determine the facts pertaining to your case, like if the animal owner is at fault for your injury. In the event, the animal owner is found legally negligent, you can pursue the case in the court.
Understanding Negligence in Animal Attacks
Animal attacks or dog bites are a specific type of personal injury where the animal owner may be liable for controlling his/her animal. If the animal goes out of control and bits you through no fault of your own, then the animal owner is considered to be legally at fault for your injuries as they showcased negligence in “handling” their animal.
The animal attacks attorney, in such cases, is required to prove it was the responsibility of the owner to protect you from the harm, but since he / she failed in it, you got bitten. A skilled attorney will clearly understand the legal issues related with an animal attack case and will be able to differentiate it from a typical personal injury claim.
What can you do, if you or one of your family members have been injured by an animal?
- If you or any family member has been recently attacked by an animal, immediately seek medical attention.
- After taking the medical treatment, immediately report your animal attack accident to the police and request for the police accident report copy.
- Try to find out the name and contact details of the animal owner.
- Try to obtain the names and contact details of the people who were either involved in the animal attack or witnessed it.
- Try to take pictures of the animal that caused the injury and the place where the accident occurred.
- Do not involve accept any forms of compensation from either the animal owner or his/her insurance company. If you accept any compensation from them, you would not be able to sue them for the additional damages.
- Try to save the clothes which were also damaged by the animal during the attack
- Try to take pictures of any damage to the property caused by the animal.
You can call us (954) 278-8889, and we will give you free consultation on the case.