DOG BITE LAWYER

Injury Attorneys for Dog Bite Victims in Miami, Broward, Palm Beach and throughout Florida

Any injury caused by a dog for any reason is covered by Florida’s Strict Liability Statute for dog owners. While dog attacks/bites are most common, the mere act of a dog chasing a person without ever touching them can cause serious injury. Recently, MADALON LAW recovered for a client who was riding a horse when an unsupervised dog caused the horse to throw the client. The dog owner was strictly liable for this equestrian accident.

If you think dog attacks are rare, think again. There are more than 4.7 Million victims of dog bites every year in the US. A dog attack can truly leave a person physically and psychologically traumatized. Besides the obvious physical damage caused by the teeth of the animal, there is also reason to be concerned about being infected with the rabies virus. Rabies is most commonly transmitted through animal bites and is regularly seen in Florida.

A victim’s damages can be covered by most homeowners and renters insurance policies, as well as general liability policies for businesses and public entities, but despite the amount of victims that are bitten each year, only around 15,000 of them receive money from the insurance companies. Here is where you need a Personal Injury Attorney.

The Dog Bite Statute in Florida imposes a STRICT LIABILITY on dog owners for bites that cause injury. What this means for you is that if a dog causes injuries the owner is liable no matter what.

Other grounds for liability:

• Negligence – Negligence in a dog bite case would be a lack of ordinary care. A lack of attention and carefulness a dog owner should have in a situation.
• Negligence per se – If the bite happened because the dog owner violated a statute that was enacted for people’s safety (i.e., violation of leash law, dog trespassing or dog at large).
• Landlord – Did you know the landlord can be held liable for an attack on their premises?
• The special rules involving children – Did the child’s actions provoke the dog? Did the parent fail to adequately supervise the child?
• The “Beware of Dog” or “Bad Dog” sign – was it in a visible place? Was the victim 6 years or younger where they may not have been able to read the sign?

A dog bite incident in Florida may seem like an open and shut case, but there is much more grey area then you might think. The smart move is to hire an Attorney that will help you seek the financial compensation you deserve. Dog Bite Injuries can be traumatizing and the Injury lawyers of Madalon Law know this. We will not charge you for our services unless you receive financial compensation for your injuries, so we will take all the financial risks for you. It’s time to get answers to your dog bite questions. Reach out to us for your free consultation and let Madalon Law fight for you.

What if Your Child is a Victim of a Dog Attack?

Every year more than 500 Florida residents are bitten severely enough to require an ER. The injury rate is highest with children between the ages of 1 and 9 years old.

The Dog Bite Injury Lawyers at Madalon Law want to go over 3 things you should know if your child was attacked by a dog.

1. Follow the steps after an attack
   • If your child is losing a lot of blood, put pressure on the wound. Call for help.
   • Identify the dog and the owner. You need to find out if the dog has rabies and you also need to know who the owner is for future legal action.
   • Get medical attention from your local hospital or emergency room – around 15-20% of dog bites become infected due to the bacteria in a dog’s mouth. Make sure there is proper documentation made of the treatment and you follow the doctor’s orders.
   • Get the contact info of the eyewitnesses.
   • Take pictures – Use the camera on your phone or any other camera you can find. Take pictures of the injuries, the animal and also the environment. If you are on the owner’s property and see a “Beware of Dog” sign, take a picture of that too – make sure that the picture(s) show where the sign was when the attack happened.
   • Report the incident to your local animal control – File a bite report
   • DO NOT discuss who was responsible for the dog bite with the dog owner.
   • DO NOT talk to the homeowner’s insurance company – Their goal is to pay out as little as possible or nothing. By talking to them, you are allowing yourself to be interviewed and that can hurt the amount of money you may be able to recover. Remember, less than 1% of US dog bites recover money.
2. Be aware of the special rules for Children. There are 2 things that tend to come up with dog bites to children. The first is if the dog was provoked in some way by the child’s conduct. Florida Law says that a child under the age of 6 Years old is not capable of provoking a dog, but if the child is older, they may find themselves in front of a jury trying to prove they were not provoking the dog. The other rule is to determine if the child was exposed to the dog and was attacked partly because the parent failed to adequately supervise.
3. You do need a lawyer for this! Dealing with a dog attack case can be complex. The insurance company will do everything it can to pay little or nothing for your child’s injuries. It is proven time and again that a child who is a victim of a dog attack and hires an Attorney will receives a much higher payout than if the parent were to act as the attorney.

As a family man, Joseph Madalon can only imagine what a parent must go through in an event like this. It is impossible to fight for your child in court and not have resentment for the other party. This emotional factor can damage the case greatly. The Dog Bite Lawyers at Madalon Law know there is nothing more precious than a child. We will take our experience of fighting insurance adjusters and aggressively pursue financial compensation for what your family has experienced. Contact us today for your free consultation and get answers now on what to do after your child has been bitten by a dog.