Injuries Caused by Dogs
At Dolan Connly, P.C., we represent children and adults who have been injured as the result of bites and other injuries caused by dogs. In Massachusetts, dog owners are held to a higher duty of care. The law states that the dog’s owner or keeper is strictly liable for injuries caused by the dog. This law applies unless the injured person was abusing or tormenting the dog.
Overview
Aside from physical injuries, injuries caused by dogs often cause emotional distress for both the injured person and their family. Injured persons also suffer damages such as lost wages when they are unable to work. Under Massachusetts law, you have the right to file a claim against the owner of a dog that bites or injures you. It is not required that the dog actually bite you. If the dog causes you to trip and fall, or causes other injuries without touching you, you have a right to file a claim.
Types of Injuries
Dog Bite Injuries
We all know dogs to be beloved pets, but it’s an unfortunate fact that sometimes dogs bite and cause serious personal injuries. Most of these injuries happen to people who are unfamiliar with the dog. Dog bites to both adults and children can cause scarring, disfigurement, infection and psychological trauma. Dog bites sustained by children, because of their small size, are frequently on the face.
Other Injuries Caused by Dogs
Dogs do not have to bite to cause injuries. Dogs can cause serious personal injuries when they jump on a person or when they bump into and knock a person to the ground. We have all seen two dogs get into an altercation; the owners of the dogs try to separate them and in the process, sometimes people are injured.
Dogs have also been known to attack and scare joggers, bicyclists and pedestrians. A charging dog can cause a person to sustain injuries while the person is trying to get away from the dog.
These types of injuries are also covered by the Massachusetts dog bite law and the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy.
FAQ
- Is there insurance to cover injuries caused by dogs?
- How does the Massachusetts dog bite law work?
- Do you have to prove the dog was dangerous or aggressive before it hurt you?
Is there insurance to cover injuries caused by dogs?
Dogs usually live with their owners or keepers at their homes. As a result, if the owner has a homeowner’s insurance policy, then that insurance policy covers bodily injuries, lost wages and other damages to a person injured by the owner’s dog. These insurance policies can also contain clauses that provide medical payment coverage to the person injured by a dog. The same insurance policy that applies if a person is injured on the homeowner’s property, also applies to injuries caused by the homeowner’s dog. The homeowner’s insurance policy even covers injuries caused by a dog that do not occur on the homeowner’s property. For example, if the dog injures someone on a public sidewalk, a street or at some other location, the dog owner is still liable and the homeowner’s insurance policy offers coverage to the injured person.
