Millions of people in the United States have dogs as family pets. While most are well-behaved and cause no problems, millions of dog bites and animal attacks are reported each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year, and 1-in-5 bites requires medical attention- some 800,000 a year. Children between ages 5 and 9 are particularly at risk. Some dog attacks can result in permanent scarring or even lead to death.
Dog Bite Laws in Ohio
In January of 2010, the Ohio Supreme Court voted to change the amount of money that a dog bite victim can claim. With this decision, victims can now bring a lawsuit against a negligent dog owner under the dog bite law as well as under charges of general negligence. This greatly increases the amount of damages that can be awarded in these cases.
The Supreme Court's decision comes in the wake of a dog bite case in which a 12 year old girl was attacked by a dog and suffered severe head injuries. The victim's family was only able to receive $5,000 in a lawsuit against the dog's owner, which was the maximum amount allowed under the previous Ohio dog bite law. Unfortunately, this amount did not cover the girl's medical injuries and the family has been left to pay the remainder of her medical bills out of their own pocket. The new Ohio dog bite law is intended to prevent this injustice from occurring again.
When it comes to dog bites, Ohio is considered a statutory strict liability state. This means that the owner of an out-of-control dog is liable for the dog's actions. Additionally, Ohio has done away with the one-bite rule. This means that even if the dog has never bitten anyone before, you may still be entitled to compensation for any injuries you sustained as a result of the attack.
Contact an Ohio Dog Bite Lawyer
The laws offices of Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz have helped hundreds of dog bite victims throughout Ohio receive compensation for their dog attack-related injuries. Contact our law office by calling 1-800-223-8897 or fill out our online form to schedule a free legal consultation to see if you have a case.