People who have a dog often love and cherish them so much that they become a member of the family. Usually, they are fun and adoring pets that cause no problems. However, there are instances in which a dog is not properly trained and can be hostile towards others. If a dog attacks another person and bites them, it can result in serious injuries. It is because of this that those who are injured by a dog bite may be able to pursue legal action against the dog’s owner for negligence with the assistance of an experienced Florida personal injury attorney.

How Do I Know if I Have a Case?

When a person has a pet, they are responsible for the actions and behavior of that pet. This means that they can be held liable in the event that their dog causes harm to another person. In order to sue a dog owner for negligence, the injured party is required to prove that they were attacked in either a public place or while they were lawfully on private property. While this is true, it is important to know that if the dog owner can prove the individual provoked their dog in some way, a lawsuit may not be possible. This may be the case if the injured party was teasing the dog or trespassing on their property. 

What Evidence do I Need?

After a dog bite accident, the injured party can file a personal injury claim to pursue legal action. During this time, they are required to prove the dog owner was negligent in training their dog to ensure it is not dangerous. This can be possible by proving the animal has a violent nature that directly resulted in the injuries. In order to show this with evidence, the injured party and their attorney can look into the history of the dog to see if any claims were made against it in the past for attacks. If a similar incident happened before and the dog owner did not correct the pet’s behavior, they can be held liable. 

In addition to the dog’s history, other evidence can help a negligence claim can include the following:

  • Security footage of the accident if it happened in a public place
  • Police reports from the accident
  • Medical documentation of the injuries
  • Witness statements to verify the claim

Contact our Firm

To discuss your case with our experienced Panama City personal injury attorneys, contact Manuel & Thompson, P.A. today for your free consultation.