DOG / ANIMAL BITE INFORMATION
 Dog bites have become epidemic in the United States. Unfortunately, many bites involve children. The law protects those bitten by dogs, allowing victims possible compensation for their injuries.
Dog bite liability laws differ from state to state. Many states have a strict liability law that holds the owner liable without fault. This means that if a dog owner keeps the animal after discovering that the dog has the tendency to attack people, the owner is held liable for any subsequent attack. In these cases, provided that the dog was not provoked, all that must be proven is that the dog attacked. Pictures, as well as medical records should be provided to an attorney.
Other states hold dog owners liable on a case-by-case basis. This means that the court will determine if the owner had prior knowledge of the animal's aggressive tendencies. Liability will be assigned based on evidence presented to the court. In these cases, knowledge of the dog's past behavior is important.
Remember to keep local leash laws in mind. In areas with leash laws, if a dog attacks while not on a leash you will have a very strong case against the owner.
If a dog's bite has broken human skin you must report it to the Animal Control Facility in your area. If the dog is loose they will require the owner to pen the dog for several days to make sure they don't have any diseases like rabies. This is the quarantine process. It is important to do this after a dog bite to protect other people who may get bitten by a dog so the authorities can determine if the dog is dangerous and a continuing threat. It is also important to do this to protect the health of the person who was bitten.
Liability is often more of an issue in dog bite cases than in car accident cases. Be sure to get the name and address of the owner of the dog as well as the breed. Also get the name, address and phone number of any witnesses of the event, as well as the information on anyone saying they have seen the dog biting someone else.
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