If you or a friend or family member has been injured in an animal attack, a dog bite injury lawyer in Virginia can assess your claim to decide the level of risk to which the owner might be held. In light of the negligence laws of the Commonwealth, a pet owner can be considered in charge of the indiscreet or careless practices that outcome in an animal’s capacity to attack someone else or significantly another pet. With appropriate legal portrayal in a personal injury claim, a dog bite victim may get reasonable money related pay from the owner of the unsafe dog.
Dog Bite Statistics
It is evaluated that almost 5 million dog bites happen yearly in the United States, of which about 800,000 require professional medical consideration. In 2013, maulings brought about 32 fatalities. Pit bulls are thought to be the most deadly breed, representing about 80 percent of dog attack passings, while Rottweilers are observed to be the second-generally deadly. By far most of the dog bite victims are not executed by the attack. Of those living through a dog attack, more than 27,000 victims experienced reconstructive medical procedure trying to repair the physical harm caused by the attack.
Virginia Law Regarding Dangerous and Vicious Dogs
A dog bites’ identity significantly more than an annoyance; along these lines, the Virginia council holds the owners of perilous dogs at risk for the activities of their pets. Animal control approaches in the Commonwealth are tended to in the Code of Virginia, Title 3.2. Here, state law controls the accompanying:
- Control of dangerous dogs (VA Code Section 3.2-6540)
- Vicious dogs (VA Code Section 3.2-6540.1)
- Authority to prohibit training of attack dogs (VA Code Section 3.2-6541)
- Establishment of Dangerous Dog Registry (VA Code Section 3.2-6542)
Hiring a Virginia Dog Bite Lawyer
Pet owners are in charge of binding their animals and playing it safe to guarantee the wellbeing of others. This is an obligation, like the obligation to work an engine vehicle securely or the obligation to guard your business premises against unsafe or inadequate conditions. At the point when an inability to rehearse security brings about a dog bite or attack to someone else or animal (damages), money related compensation might be accessible. A Virginia dog bite lawyer who comprehends the law concerning dog bite obligation can enable you to grasp what you need to do keeping in mind the end goal to consider the dependable party at risk for your injuries.
Defenses for Dog Owners
A dog owner in Virginia may raise a few defenses when confronting a dog bite case. Notwithstanding the contention that the owner did not know the dog may bite, the owner may raise the defense of contributory negligence.
“Contributory negligence” contends that the injured individual was halfway or absolutely to blame for his or her particular injuries. For example, in a dog bite case, the dog’s owner may contend that the injured individual was inciting the dog or trespassed notwithstanding a “Be careful with Dog” sign, and that accordingly the injured individual was harmed because he or she neglected to take reasonable care.
Virginia is one of a bunch of states that bars any recovery for an injured individual on the off chance that he or she was in any capacity in charge of the injury. On the off chance that an injured individual is observed to be incompletely to blame, the damages grant drops to zero automatically, and the injured individual is banned from gathering any damages from other to blame gatherings.