Injured CT’s dog bite attorneys represent victims of Dog Bite injuries throughout Connecticut. Dogs are commonplace in our society and the animals can be great companions. However, it is necessary for dog owners to be aware of their potential liability. If injured by a dog in any way, you have a right to compensation. Injured CT’s attorneys have experience resolving dog bite and dog attack matters all over Hartford.
What to Do If You Are Attacked By a Dog?
Injured CT’s personal injury lawyers specialize in dog bites and dog attacks in Hartford. Even the most well-trained dogs can injure people. So, Connecticut has enacted laws meant to protect victims of dog bites and attacks. It is important to contact a Hartford dog bite attorney immediately. We can assist you through the process and ensure that you get compensation.
Laws require that a victim of a dog bite report the attack to a Animal Control Officer (ACO). The mandatory reporting is necessary so the ACO can investigate the incident and dog involved. This is to ensure that the public is safe from any future attacks.
The Hartford dog bite attorneys at Injured CT will help you through the entire legal process. Our attorneys can assist you in obtaining the medical intervention necessary to remedy the injuries you have. Then we will contact the dog’s owner or, in most cases, the dog owner’s home insurance company to initiate the process of obtaining the rightful compensation you deserve for your dog bite injuries.
Who Is Liable for a Dog bite in Hartford?
Connecticut law states that a dog’s owner or keeper responsible and liable for any damage caused by his or her dog to another’s person or property. The statute is broad in that it does not require a dog to bite a victim but only requires that the dog causes “damage” which includes injuries sustained from being knocked over or startled by a dog.
The law does not differentiate between dogs that are known for their dangerous propensities from those that are not. Moreover, Connecticut does not have a so-called “one-bite” rule which is seen throughout the country. “One-bite” laws typically only hold dog owners liable for injuries and damages caused by their dog if the owner knew of their dog’s dangerous propensities from past incidents of aggression.
Hartford’s Dog Bites Law
Connecticut’s dog bites law, a strict liability statute holds any owner or keeper of a dog liable for any damage it causes, even if it is the dog’s first violent or destructive incident. Strict liability in Connecticut means that a victim of a strict liability offense does not need to prove any negligence of the dog’s owner in order to prove liability.
Therefore, if you can prove that a dog injured you, the dog’s owner is automatically liable for your injuries unless he or she has a valid defense.
Dog owners have limited defenses when it comes to defending their dog’s destructive actions. Connecticut General Statutes Section 22-364 requires that all dogs be leashed when not on the owner’s property or in a designated “off-leash” area. Therefore, any owner of a dog that was off-leash is strictly liable for damages.
The dog owner’s defenses are only available if the owner can prove that the victim was trespassing. If injured by a dog in any way, call Hartford’s dog bite lawyers at Injured CT. You may have entitlement to compensation, including punitive damages, depending on the circumstances.