Dog bites can be serious injuries, and cause both physical and emotional harm. But a dog bite victim will have trouble getting compensation unless he or she can prove the dog’s owner had reason to believe the dog was dangerous.
There are exceptions to this rule, obviously, and for serious injuries most Portland dog bite lawyers will be willing to investigate the situation, but usually there needs to be a known danger in the dog’s behavior.
Exceptions include:
1. If the dog has trespassed on someone else’s property.
Example: A dog wonders away from the owner and bites a child in front of the child’s house.
2. The owner intentionally causes the dog to attack.
Example: The dog owner commands the dog to attack the victim.
3. The owner has been negligent in preventing the dog from causing harm.
Example: The dog owner has failed to repair a fence, which allows the dog to get out and bite a person walking by.
In some cases where the dog breed is not known to be violent, it can be especially hard to prove negligence or knowledge of danger. In other instances, where the dog breed is known to be prone to violence, Oregon law is much more severe – and the expectation for owners to be more careful has been established.
The Dog Lawyer – Richard Bruce Rosenthal, Esq. National Authority On Animal And Dangerous Dog Law. Give us a call today (718) 261-0200