Dog Bites

Dog Bite accidents

Call Bill Your Dog Bite Accident Lawyer

The laws involving dogs in Alabama can be complex. Here in the South, we use dogs for protection but also hold the owners responsible if the animal is overly aggressive. If you are attacked, you can receive compensation, but there are restrictions.

The One Bite Rule

Basically, this rule says that owners are not responsible for damages if they did not know the dog had a tendency to bite. So, you may hear the phrase that in Alabama “a dog gets one free bite.”  This can be misleading. There are severe restrictions against this including where the attack took place, the breed of the dog and what safety measures were used by the owner.

What You Can Expect

Injured people often think of just getting compensated for their medical expenses. However, there is so much more. You can also receive money for your lost income and emotional distress. Punitive damages, those used to punish the wrongdoer, are only awarded if the owner knew the dog was aggressive and the owner did not provide enough protection to the public.

You can expect the dog owner or the owner’s insurance company to intensely fight against paying you. Because the circumstances are so important to a dog bite legal case, I have seen arguments including:

• You provoked the attack by teasing the dog.
• You were trespassing.
• You assumed the risk by coming to the area of the attack.
• Safety measure in place such a fencing or having a leash failed.

Note that Alabama has different laws when children are involved. Mainly it puts more of a burden on the dog owner.

Time Limits

Generally, you have two years after the attack to file a lawsuit. After that, you will collect nothing. So, call an attorney experienced in working with clients injured by a dog bite immediately. There is nothing gained by waiting.

Call Bill

We have a wide variety of experience in dealing with injuries involving dog bites. At the very least, you should not have to pay for any medical expenses out of your pocket. Remember, you can always talk to us for free and learn about your rights.