Country Club Dog Bite Lawyer

You can receive compensation for a dog bite in Country Club, Floridaeven if the dog that bit you has no history of attacks or aggressive behavior. The dog bite injury team at the Law Offices of Anidjar& Levine can help you recover damages for your losses from the responsible party.

Call us at 1-800-747-3733 today, and we will line up your free consultation with a dog bite lawyer in Country Club, FL to find out if you might be eligible for compensation. There is no charge for the call or the initial meeting.

Getting Compensation for a Dog Bite

After a dog bites you, you should call animal control to notify them of the bite. They should try to capture the animal and evaluated it for the risk of rabies. They might quarantine the animal or take other action, and the owner could end up with a hefty fine. In addition to these administrative remedies, Florida allows you to make the dog’s owner financially liable in certain situations.

When a Dog Owner is Responsible for a Dog Bite

The owner of the dog is liable to the people whom the dog bites if the attack happened in a public place or when the victim was lawfully on private property, including the house where the dog lived. Florida law does not require that the dog had a history of vicious behavior or that the owner had any knowledge of the dog’s propensity to bite.

The requirement that a person was on the property lawfully excludes trespassers from recovering dog bite damages. You do not, however, have to be specifically invited to the property to be on the premises legally. If you are on the property because of the express or implied invitation of the owner, you are on the property lawfully. When you order a product online for shipment to your home, there is an implied invitation for the UPS, FedEx, or other delivery people to come onto your property to deliver the package.

An implied invitation can also include a person you hire to mow your lawn or clean your pool. You did not invite that person over for a visit, however, when you engaged the person to perform a service for you on your premises, you have implied that the person was on your property by invitation.

If someone is performing their legal duties under state or federal law or the United States postal regulations, that person is also on your property legally. Examples of this scenario can include your letter carrier, as well as someone reading the water meter or collecting the trash.

How Warning Signs Affect Liability

Some people think that if they post a “Bad Dog” sign on the property, the sign will absolve them of liability if the dog bites someone. Here are two situations in which the owner will still be liable, despite a warning sign, if the dog bites someone:

• The dog bite victim is six years old or younger

• The dog bite happened because of the negligent act or omission of the dog owner. Let’s say that someone had a dog with a history of aggressiveness. That owner invited guests to the house for a pool party and did not secure the dog away from the visitors. The owner will be liable for the damages if the dog bites any of the guests in this situation.

What We Have to Prove to Win a Dog Bite Claim in Country Club, Florida

There are four elements that we must prove to hold the dog owner liable for your dog bite. A dog bite lawyer in Country Club, FL must establish all four of these factors:

1. The dog that bit you belonged to the person we are suing, the dog owner.

2. You were either in a public place or lawfully on private property when the attack occurred.

3. Your injuries were a direct result of the dog bite.

4. The situation does not fall within the protection of the bad dog sign law.

Damages for a Dog Bite in Florida

Florida law holds dog owners responsible “for damages suffered by persons bitten.” Our state’s law also allows you to use any other legal remedy available in addition to the dog bite statute.

The damages you can recoup in your case will depend on the unique facts of your situation. Here are some examples of losses that can be compensable after a dog attack:

Medical expenses, to treat the initial injury. This category can include the ambulance, emergency room, trauma surgeon, diagnostic testing, initial surgery, prescription medication, and physical therapy.

Follow-up procedures, such as plastic surgery to minimize the scars, and additional repair procedures to damaged tissue.

Lost income, which can include such things as wages, salary, self-employment, and other income you missed because of your injuries.

Loss of earning capacity, if you cannot make as much money as you did before the dog attack, because of your injuries.

Psychological trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nightmares, panic attacks, fear of going to places where dogs might be present, depression, anxiety, and other emotional harm.

Disfigurement from your injuries.

Pain and suffering, for the physical discomfort and emotional distress you experienced from the attack and injuries.

Getting Help for a Dog Bite in Country Club, Florida

Make sure that you talk with a lawyer right away after a dog bite. Insurance companies pay thousands of dog bite claims every year, and they have every incentive to pay you as little as possible.

A dog bite lawyer in Country Club, FL can protect your right to fair compensation and stand between you and a lowball settlement. Once you hire a lawyer to handle your claim, the insurance company is not allowed to harass you. We will deal directly with them for you.

You will not have any upfront legal fees for the Law Offices of Anidjar& Levine to handle your dog bite claim. We will handle the legal matters so that you can focus on getting well. Call us today at 1-800-747-3733, to set up your free consultation. There is no obligation.