Individuals who have suffered dog attacks may experience gruesome and long-lasting injuries, including nerve damage, punctures, contusions, broken bones, lacerations, and infections. Because of the severity of these injuries, treatment may become costly. Therefore, if you have been harmed in an animal attack, you should contact a skilled Elyria dog bite lawyer who could help you file a claim for damages.
The personal injury attorneys at Tittle & Perlmuter could look into the facts of your case and investigate whether negligent dog ownership led to the incident. While no level of money damages could fully compensate for the physical and emotional trauma you may have sustained, a lawyer could aggressively pursue the liable dog owner for the full extent of compensation needed to pay for your losses.
Dog Bite Laws in Elyria
When a dog bites and injures someone, their owner may be held legally responsible for this person’s damages. The law permits dog attack lawsuits to be brought under the doctrine of strict liability. In a strict liability case, an Elyria dog bite attorney does not need show any negligence on the part of the owner. Rather, the fact that the dog bit and injured someone would suffice to hold the owner legally liable under Ohio Revised Code §955.28.
To pursue compensatory damages after a dog bite incident, the claimant must not have been engaging any illegal activity. Therefore, if a person was trespassing at the time of the attack, they may not have a viable case. Additionally, the claimant may not be able to pursue full compensation if they were provoking the animal at the time of the incident.
Recoverable Damages in an Elyria Canine Attack Case
Dog bite claimants may recover economic and noneconomic compensation for their injuries. Economic damages may include financial losses such as ambulance costs, physician visits, hospital bills, and time missed from work. Noneconomic damages do not have a definitive dollar amount attached and may include losses such as pain and suffering, disability, and loss of enjoyment of life.
In certain cases, punitive damages also could be recoverable. Punitive damages are different from other types of compensation, as they are intended to punish the defendant. The court may only award these additional damages in exceptional circumstances where the owner’s behavior constituted gross misconduct or malicious wrongdoing.
Shared Liability in Canine Attack Cases
If a court finds a claimant to be partially responsible for their injuries, this may impact their financial recovery. Provided the claimant is less than 51 percent liable, they could still obtain part of their damages. For instance, a claimant who is assigned 10 percent at fault could still receive 90 percent of their total compensation. An experienced lawyer in Elyria could asses a dog bite case and determine if a claimant may be partially at fault.
Reach Out to an Elyria Dog Bite Attorney
These cases can be extremely complex without the assistance of legal counsel. Fortunately, an Elyria dog bite lawyer could help you prove owner liability and pursue full compensation for all of your losses.
If you need help getting your claim started, consult with the dedicated attorneys at Tittle & Perlmuter. We could offer you legal advice regarding the ideal next steps for your case. To find out more about your legal rights and options, contact our firm today.
