The number of dogs in the United States continues to grow, reaching anywhere from 84 million to 89 million. Unfortunately, with this boom in numbers has also come a spike in dog bite incidents.
Ohio is one of the top 10 states in terms of the highest rate of dog attacks. In 2023 alone, the state saw 359 dog bites, with a large number of these resulting in severe injuries.
If you’ve suffered injuries from a dog attack, our Gahanna dog bite attorneys can help. At Oliver Law Office, we’ve helped injured victims throughout Ohio obtain compensation for their losses from a dog bite. Contact us to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help you fight for the justice you deserve today.
Suppose you’re walking down Creekside Park, and a dog breaks away from their owner and attacks you without provocation. What are your rights? Do you need to prove that the owner wasn’t paying attention or that they didn’t have a strong enough grip on the leash?
Ohio allows you to file a claim using strict liability or negligence doctrines. In most cases, strict liability is appropriate because it doesn’t require you to prove negligence or that the dog has bitten someone. A dog’s owner is legally responsible for any injuries their pet causes in Gahanna.
To file this type of claim, you do have to demonstrate that you were legally on the property. You must also show that you didn’t provoke the animal and suffered injuries for which you can be compensated.
In the Creekside Park example, you were walking in a public park and did nothing to provoke the attack. If you suffered injuries requiring medical care, you meet all the requirements to file a claim.
Ohio also allows you to file a negligence-based claim following the one-bite rule. This is only appropriate if the dog has bitten someone before and is considered dangerous. A prior bite is enough to show negligence because the owner knew the dog was dangerous and kept it.
The one-bite rule claim for dog bites typically comes into play if the attack was so vicious and the owner’s actions so egregious that you want to claim more than compensatory damages. For the majority of cases, strict liability applies.
Like other personal injury claims, you have a limited amount of time to file your claim. Usually, it’s two years from the moment the bite occurred, but there can be exceptions. You need to contact our team to speak with a Gahanna dog bite lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss the deadline to file a claim.
A dog of any size can cause significant injuries, though the severity can increase with the animal’s size. If you suffer an injury that requires medical care, you may have the right to file a lawsuit. Some of the common injuries dog bites cause in Gahanna include:
A frequent injury that people suffer when a dog bites them is punctured. These wounds don’t always result in a lot of blood, but they can be deep. Punctures can damage soft tissues like muscles, as well as bones.
Because punctures can be so deep, they are often more likely to result in infections. To prevent infection, it’s important to seek medical care at OhioHealth Gahanna Health Center or another provider as soon as possible after a bite.
Lacerations are more shallow than punctures and can include skin tearing, which is why they can bleed a lot. They go past the epidermis, reaching nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. They have a telltale zig-zag pattern and usually require stitches.
If the dog bites into your skin and pulls, their jaws are powerful enough to rip skin or appendages from your body. There have been cases of dogs tearing ears and even fingers from their victims. These injuries require a lot of medical attention, including reconstructive procedures.
A dog’s jaws are powerful enough to break and crush bones. Aside from requiring extensive treatment, fractures can make it impossible to live your life as you normally would. You could miss weeks of work if you’re dealing with a cast, and you might even have mobility issues and need to move around in a wheelchair.
Dogs’ mouths are full of bacteria. When they bite down and create open wounds, that bacteria can quickly infiltrate your system. Your skin, too, has bacteria that can lead to infections, so it’s essential to cleanse the bite as soon as possible and get medical help swiftly.
Even mild bites can leave scars because the teeth can tear into soft tissues. If a dog bites your face, you could end up with disfiguring injuries that impact you for the rest of your life.
A dog attack can leave more than just physical scars — it can also leave emotional ones that impact your quality of life. Victims often struggle with dog phobias and PTSD after an attack, as well as with crippling anxiety and depression.
No matter how simple a dog bite claim can seem, it’s a much more complex process than you may think. Filing a claim requires gathering extensive evidence, including medical records, and presenting them in a way that provides the clearest picture of what happened during the attack.
If you’re dealing with serious injuries, you may not have the mental bandwidth to handle all of this on your own. You could delay filing the claim, harming your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
Our team of Gahanna dog bite attorneys is experienced in negotiating with insurance companies. It’s important to understand that insurers want to pay you as little as possible, even if they seem to be on your side. They’ll look for any way to accomplish this and may pressure you to accept a low offer.
With our lawyers on your side, you know you will have advocates who’ll fight to get you fair compensation. If we don’t think negotiations are progressing as they should, we can also take the claim to court.
Above all, our team offers the support you need during this difficult time. We can provide the guidance you deserve every step of the way.
Dog attacks can cause serious injuries that could turn your life upside down. You may miss work and lose wages while also struggling under the weight of medical expenses that could continue to grow if you need ongoing care. The emotional trauma from an attack can follow you for years to come.
At Oliver Law Office, our women-led legal team is committed to helping Ohio dog bite victims recover economic and non-economic damages for the suffering they’ve experienced. If you’ve been bitten, our team can fight for your rights without charging you anything upfront. Unless we win, we don’t get paid.
Schedule a consultation with our Gahanna dog bite lawyers to learn how we can help you effectively navigate the aftermath of your injuries today.
