Dog bites can lead to severe injuries and permanent impairments. Under Georgia dog bite laws, a dog owner may be held liable for the damages caused by their dog. Our Savannah dog bite lawyers at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers have a 95% success rate in personal injury cases. Contact our firm to schedule a free consultation.
Proving liability and recovering fair compensation may be challenging. An experienced injury lawyer can also assist with any personal injury case, giving you a significant advantage. We have won millions for our clients in life-changing settlements and jury verdicts. We have fought for the rights of families and injured victims in Georgia for over 20 years.
We are here to help you when you need trusted legal advice and an aggressive lawyer to fight for your rights. Call us today!
How Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers Can Help if You’ve Been Bitten by a Dog
Did a dog bite you or your child in Savannah, Georgia? If so, you may have incurred substantial medical bills and other costs. The attack may have left you with scars and disfigurement. You deserve to be compensated fairly for all damages caused by a dog attack.
Our lawyers at Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers have decades of experience fighting for injured victims. We will help you obtain the compensation you deserve and need as you continue to heal after a dog bite.
When you hire our top-rated Savannah dog bite injury attorneys, you can trust us to:
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding the dog bite to determine who is responsible for your injuries
- Gather evidence supporting an injury claim, including working with expert witnesses
- Defend you against claims that you are to blame for the dog biting you
- Calculate how much your dog bite injury claim is worth based on your damages
- File insurance claims and negotiate insurance settlements
- File a lawsuit and take your case to trial if that is the best way
Experience matters when you are filing a dog bite injury claim. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling injury claims. We are seasoned trial lawyers and skillful negotiators.
Call us to schedule a free consultation today.
What Are Georgia’s Dog Bite Laws?
A dog bite injury claim may involve one or more laws or legal theories. Our attorneys carefully analyze all the evidence in your case to determine the claims available to recover damages. Our Savannah dog bite injury attorneys pursue all available claims against all parties who could be liable for your injuries.
Dog bite injury claims may involve:
One Bite Rule
Georgia does not have a one-bite rule for dog injury claims that results in strict liability for a dog owner. Instead, Georgia has modified the one-bite rule. It is possible for a dog owner to be strictly liable for damages if they own a dangerous or vicious dog.
Under Georgia Statute §51-2-7, a dog owner who keeps or owns a dangerous or vicious dog can be strictly liable for damages in some situations. The law prohibits the dog owner from failing to use reasonable care in managing the dog or allowing the animal to be on the loose. To recover damages under this statute, you must prove:
- The dog was vicious or dangerous
- The owner failed to take reasonable steps to manage the dog
- You did not do anything to provoke the dog or the attack
- The attack caused serious injury
A dog owner may claim they had no idea the dog was vicious or dangerous. However, the law states that a dog is deemed vicious or dangerous if a local ordinance requires the dog to be on a leash or at heel, and the dog was not leashed when it attacked someone. Therefore, you should always check the local leash laws to determine if a dog owner broke the law.
Dangerous Dog Law
Georgia law imposes strict rules if a dog is deemed dangerous. A dog is dangerous if it has attacked someone and/or caused serious injury without provocation. If this is the case, the dog owner must follow specific rules, including:
- Register the dog with the city
- Confine the dog in a secure location
- Restrain and muzzle the dog when not secured
- Post warning signs to alert people to the presence of a dangerous dog
- Carry a minimum amount of liability insurance
In these cases, the owner is presumed to know the dog was vicious because of the dog’s history of attacking and/or injuring people. It could be easier to prove liability in these cases.
Negligence
Some dog bite injury cases may be based on general negligence. Negligence is failing to take reasonable care to avoid injury. You must prove that the dog owner owed you a legal duty of care and breached the duty of care. You must also prove that the breach of duty directly and proximately caused your injuries and that you sustained damages because of the attack.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Georgia?
Georgia’s statute of limitations for most cases involving a dog bite or dog attack is two years from the injury date. However, exceptions to the rule could change the date. It is best to seek legal advice from a dog bite lawyer in Savannah as soon as possible to avoid losing the right to sue the dog owner for damages caused by a dog bite.
What Are Common Injuries Caused by Dog Bites and Dog Attacks?
Dogs can cause severe injuries when they bite or attack someone, especially a child or vulnerable adult. The injuries may cause permanent impairments and significant disfigurement.
Common dog bite injuries include:
If a dog bites you, seek immediate medical treatment. Even though the bite might not appear severe, complications could lead to life-threatening infections and complications. Prompt medical treatment also helps support a personal injury claim for damages.
What Damages Can I Receive for a Dog Bite Claim in Savannah, GA?
Generally, injured victims can seek compensation for their economic and non-economic damages in a dog bite case. Examples of the damages you may receive include:
- Reimbursement for past and future medical expenses and bills
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Lost wages and benefits
- Diminished quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life
- Physical pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Rehabilitative therapies and treatment
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Psychological injuries
- Reduction in future earning capacity
- Impairments and disabilities
Our Savannah dog bite attorneys work with you and your doctors to document the extent of your injuries and damages. You can help your case by keeping detailed records of your financial losses and expenses, including copies of bills, receipts, and other proof.
Creating a pain and suffering journal can also help. The journal details your struggle to recover from dog bite injuries, including activities you cannot enjoy, pain levels, and your emotional state.
How Much Is My Savannah Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?
The value of your claim depends on the facts and circumstances of your case. Most dog bite injury claims settle without going to trial, but not always. Before accepting a settlement, talk with one of our lawyers to ensure you understand how much your case is worth.
Factors that can impact how much you receive for a dog bite claim include:
- The strength of your evidence proving liability for damages
- The severity and type of injuries you sustained
- The medical treatments you received
- Your financial losses and out-of-pocket costs
- The parties involved in the case
- The availability of insurance coverage and the policy limits
- Whether you sustained permanent impairments or disfigurement
- If you could be partially to blame for causing the injury
Each case is unique, and your case may be worth more than someone else’s case. The insurance company for the dog owner or other liable party is not a trusted source to help you understand how much a dog bite claim is worth. You should speak with an attorney who understands personal injury and dog bite injury law in Savannah.
Can You Receive Damages if You’re Partially to Blame for a Dog Biting You?
Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule for personal injury claims. If the injured party is equal to or more at fault for causing their injuries, they are barred from receiving any damages. If their fault is less than the other party’s, their damages are reduced by their percentage of fault.
However, special rules apply in dog bite cases. If the dog owner can prove that you provoked the dog, you might lose your right to damages. Teasing, taunting, and hurting a dog could be considered provoking the animal.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Savannah Dog Bite Attorneys to Learn More
Dog attacks and bites can be very traumatic. We are here to help. Call Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review with our Savannah dog bite lawyers. We help you navigate Georgia’s complex dog bite laws and recover compensation for damages.
N/a
