Dog Bite Lawyer In Atlanta Georgia
The effects of a dog bite injury can be grave and potentially cause long-term physical and emotional damage. If you were bitten by a dog, it is important that you first seek medical attention. An untreated dog bite can lead to a serious injury or infection, or even death if the animal was carrying a potentially fatal disease.
Depending on the circumstances, dog bite victims can file a dog bite lawsuit to recover damages from the pet owner or another responsible party. If you or a family member has been injured due to a dog bite attack, Georgia law gives you the right to seek financial compensation for your suffering. For that reason, it’s important to have an Atlanta dog bite lawyer on your side that can negotiate a settlement or take your case to trial.
Atlanta Georgia Dog Bite Law
Georgia has enacted laws to protect dog bite victims, which require a high level of responsibility and accountability by dog owners. Ga. Code Ann., § 51-2-7 states:
A person who owns or keeps a vicious or dangerous animal of any kind and who, by careless management or by allowing the animal to go at liberty, causes injury to another person who does not provoke the injury by his own act may be liable in damages to the person so injured. In proving vicious propensity, it shall be sufficient to show that the animal was required to be at heel or on a leash by an ordinance of a city, county, or consolidated government, and the said animal was at the time of the occurrence not at heel or on a leash. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to domesticated fowl including roosters with spurs. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to domesticated livestock.
While the law imposes strict liability for injury to a person, the dog must first be considered "vicious" or "dangerous.” It can be as simple as showing the animal was required to be leashed per city ordinance.
Further, Georgia law does not require there to be any prior incidents of bites or aggression. If the owner violates the leash law by having the dog off leash when the bite occurs, regulation imposes liability on the owner.
The defendant in a dog bite claim may have homeowners insurance that provides coverage for dog attack victims. While homeowners’ insurance usually covers most dog bite accidents, sometimes insurance companies will attempt to offer victims insufficient settlement. Our Atlanta dog bite lawyers will negotiate with the insurance company to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
How Can Our Atlanta Dog Bite Attorneys Help?
CONTACT US
750 Hammond Dr building 12 suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30328
Tel: (404) 593-2705
Tel: (678) 793-9393