Fremont Dog Bite Lawyer
While dogs may provide valuable protection and make for great family pets, it is important to remember that if they are not properly trained and restrained, dogs could cause serious injuries by attacking another person. Nebraska’s laws recognize this fact and consequently assume that a dog’s owner is civilly responsible for any injuries caused by their animals.
Unlike many others states that use a one-bite-rule to govern dog attacks, Nebraska holds dog owners responsible regardless of the dog’s lack of a violent past. This could mean if you were bitten by someone else’s dog, you may have cause to hire a Fremont dog bite lawyer from Inkelaar Law and consider filing suit. A persistent personal injury attorney could help you pursue at-fault dog owners for compensation following a dog attack.
Laws Concerning Dog Attacks
Nebraska is a strict liability state when it comes to dog bites. This could mean that a dog’s owner would typically be responsible if their dog attacks another person. While many other states have adopted one-bite-rules where a plaintiff could only collect damages if the dog’s owner had a reason to know that their animal was dangerous, Nebraska law says otherwise.
Under Nebraska Revised Statutes §54-601, dog owners are responsible for the actions of their animals, whether they are on private property or in public. To prevail in a dog bite case, you and your dog bite attorney in Fremont could simply:
- Prove that the dog that attacked you belonged to the defendant
- The dog did, in fact, attack you without provocation
- The attack resulted in an injury
Defenses a Dog Owner May Use
Defendants in these cases do have statutory defenses available to them in certain circumstances. Trespassers onto private property may not be able to claim damages that result from dog bites, as people are allowed to protect their property and using a guard dog is a perfectly legitimate way to do so. Landowners have no duty to protect trespassers from incidental harm.
Defendants may argue that the only reason the attack took place was that the plaintiff teased, attacked, or otherwise provoked the animal. When utilizing this defense, the defendant admits that the attack occurred but may present evidence for why the plaintiff is at fault for their own injuries. A Fremont lawyer can help you prepare for any defenses a defendant may use in dog bite cases.
Common Injuries a Person Could Recieve
To some degree, injuries that may result from a large dog attacking a person might seem obvious. Larger breeds often have powerful jaws and sharp teeth that could tear at flesh, rip tendons, and even break bones. In rare circumstances, dog bites may even cause death.
Attacks from smaller animals may result in similarly serious injuries. Even the best-groomed dogs may have mouths that contain millions of bacteria, many of which are toxic to humans. Any puncturing of the skin might result in these bacteria entering the blood-stream and causing infections, illness, or even sepsis.
If an animal is not vaccinated against all required diseases, a bite may require you to obtain rabies treatment. All of this could combine to make a dog bite a serious ordeal that might cost thousands of dollars to treat.
On top of physical consequences, you may be forced to miss significant time at work to deal with the aftermath of such an attack, as well as suffer significant mental anguish. An Inkelaar Law Fremont lawyer may be able to help you gather the necessary evidence to connect your dog bite injuries to the proper defendant and file a claim demanding appropriate compensation.
How a Fremont Dog Bite Lawyer Could Help
A Person suffering from a dog bite may experience serious injuries that never fully heal. Unlike many other states, Nebraska assumes that the owner of the dog is at fault for their animal’s behavior regardless of that animal’s history of violence, so if a dog bites, knocks down, or otherwise attacks you, you may have the right to demand compensation.
A Fremont dog bite lawyer from Inkelaar Law could take the lead in these cases, working tirelessly to investigate the incident, apply the facts of the case to Nebraska’s laws, and to demand compensation for every dollar of damage inflicted by a dog owner’s negligence. Contact our firm today to learn more.