Q.
A while ago, I was visiting a friend's house with my son, and the friend's dog attacked my son, biting his arm.
I witnessed the situation and tried to save my son from the dog's attack, but I also suffered serious injuries, being bitten on my arm and leg by the dog.
Is there any way I can get compensation for the injuries my son and I sustained?
A.
In the law of domestic violence, the owner of a dog is liable for a bite by a dog or other animal, regardless of whether the owner acted negligently.
In other words, the owner is liable for a dog bite accident regardless of whether or not he or she was at fault. This is called “strict liability.”
You may be protected under strict liability if any of the following applies.
- If bitten by a dog (does not apply if pushed by a dog, etc.)
- If you have been bitten by a dog and can prove the dog's owner.
- If the victim did not illegally enter another person's property.
- If the victim did not provoke the dog first.
Based on the above, if your son did not attack the dog first, the responsibility for this accident lies with the homeowner, your friend.
Therefore, if your friend has home insurance, your son will likely be able to receive treatment and compensation through that insurance.
You may also be entitled to compensation if you were injured by a dog while trying to help someone who was being attacked by a dog, as in your case.
In the case of the state, you may also be entitled to compensation for the emotional trauma suffered by your family members who witnessed the accident.
If you are bitten by a dog, it is important to try to remain as calm as possible and obtain information from the other party (the dog owner) as if you were in a traffic accident.
[How to respond after being bitten by a dog]
- Please go to the hospital immediately and receive emergency treatment.
- Find out what type of dog caused the injury.
Basically, the onus is on the victim to prove which dog bit them and who the owner is, and there are precedents where they will not receive compensation if they cannot prove this accurately.
And if they cannot find the owner, they should consider getting a rabies test. - Make sure your landlord has insurance to cover dog bite injuries.
Home insurance often covers pet-related injuries. - Take photos of the injured area from various angles.
If your dog fell down while attacking you and left bruises or torn clothing, we recommend taking photos of these as well. - If the landlord and dog owner are different, obtain the dog owner's contact information.
- If there were any witnesses to the incident, obtain their statements and contact information.
Go to the police station or animal welfare organization and write a report. - Be sure to consult a personal injury attorney about your accident.
- If you are contacted by an insurance company, you should first consult with a lawyer about the accident, carefully organize the details of the accident, and then state the details of the accident to the insurance company.
In some cases, the victim's hasty statement may be detrimental to receiving fair compensation.
For reference, if you are bitten by a dog and injured, you will most likely receive compensation for your injuries through the dog owner. However, if the dog owner cannot take responsibility for the compensation or the compensation is insufficient, you may also seek additional compensation for your injuries from the owner or manager of the commercial property, or the person temporarily taking care of the dog, depending on where you were bitten.
Dog bites can cause serious nerve damage and even permanent scarring.
These injuries can cause tremendous physical and mental pain, so it is imperative that appropriate compensation is provided.
Also, about 70% of dog bite accidents are involving minor children.
Therefore, in order to protect children from dog bite accidents, it is most important to educate them on accident prevention, such as getting permission from the owner to touch a dog, and not touching a dog while it is eating.
Q.
A while ago, I was visiting a friend's house with my son, and the friend's dog attacked my son, biting his arm.
I witnessed the situation and tried to save my son from the dog's attack, but I also suffered serious injuries, being bitten on my arm and leg by the dog.
Is there any way I can get compensation for the injuries my son and I sustained?
A.
In the law of domestic violence, the owner of a dog is liable for a bite by a dog or other animal, regardless of whether the owner acted negligently.
In other words, the owner is liable for a dog bite accident regardless of whether or not he or she was at fault. This is called “strict liability.”
You may be protected under strict liability if any of the following applies.
Based on the above, if your son did not attack the dog first, the responsibility for this accident lies with the homeowner, your friend.
Therefore, if your friend has home insurance, your son will likely be able to receive treatment and compensation through that insurance.
You may also be entitled to compensation if you were injured by a dog while trying to help someone who was being attacked by a dog, as in your case.
In the case of the state, you may also be entitled to compensation for the emotional trauma suffered by your family members who witnessed the accident.
If you are bitten by a dog, it is important to try to remain as calm as possible and obtain information from the other party (the dog owner) as if you were in a traffic accident.
[How to respond after being bitten by a dog]
Basically, the onus is on the victim to prove which dog bit them and who the owner is, and there are precedents where they will not receive compensation if they cannot prove this accurately.
And if they cannot find the owner, they should consider getting a rabies test.
Home insurance often covers pet-related injuries.
If your dog fell down while attacking you and left bruises or torn clothing, we recommend taking photos of these as well.
Go to the police station or animal welfare organization and write a report.
In some cases, the victim's hasty statement may be detrimental to receiving fair compensation.
For reference, if you are bitten by a dog and injured, you will most likely receive compensation for your injuries through the dog owner. However, if the dog owner cannot take responsibility for the compensation or the compensation is insufficient, you may also seek additional compensation for your injuries from the owner or manager of the commercial property, or the person temporarily taking care of the dog, depending on where you were bitten.
Dog bites can cause serious nerve damage and even permanent scarring.
These injuries can cause tremendous physical and mental pain, so it is imperative that appropriate compensation is provided.
Also, about 70% of dog bite accidents are involving minor children.
Therefore, in order to protect children from dog bite accidents, it is most important to educate them on accident prevention, such as getting permission from the owner to touch a dog, and not touching a dog while it is eating.