With powerful jaws and occasionally ferocious temperaments, dogs that bite can cause serious, and sometimes even permanent, damage to a victim. From the risk of infection to facial disfigurement and scarring, dog bites are traumatic both physically and psychologically. If a dog bites you in Findlay, Ohio or surrounding areas, our dog bite attorneys at the offices of Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC can represent you during your claim for damages.
Anyone who is attacked by a dog in Ohio and suffers injuries has the right to file a claim to recover compensation for their injuries or losses assuming that:
Parents of minors who are attacked may file a claim on their child’s behalf; in the rare event that a dog bite results in death, surviving family members have the right to pursue compensation.
The great thing about Ohio’s dog bite statute is that in the event that you are bitten, you have the right to recover compensation and do not have to prove the dog owner’s negligence. This is different than many other states, where the law reads that a dog owner is only liable for damages if they knew of the dog’s propensity towards aggressive behavior. You do not have to prove negligence to recover compensation for all of your losses, both financial and noneconomic.
However, if you want to file a claim for punitive damages, which are designed to punish the owner of the dog, you must prove that the owner acted with malicious intent. For example, if the dog owner knew that the dog was dangerous (because it had attacked in the past), and the dog owner allowed or ordered the dog to attack you, then they may be liable for punitive damages.
In Ohio, the time limit for filing a claim for damages is two years from the date of the accident. If you do not file a claim within two years’ time, you cannot recover compensation per Ohio Laws and Rules Section 2305.10.
At the law offices of Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC, our experienced Findlay dog bite attorneys can aid you in: proving that you were not trespassing or tormenting the dog, that you have suffered serious injuries and that you deserve to be compensated for those injuries, and that malice existed if you are pursuing a common law claim.
To schedule a free case consultation with our law offices today, contact us online or call us directly.
All of our partners are AV Peer Review Rated* through Martindale-Hubbell. Out-of-state referrals are welcome for all
areas of practice we handle, including personal injury, workers’ compensation and insurance claims issues.