Deerfield Beach Dog Bites

In Deerfield Beach and other Florida communities, dog bites and animal attacks often occur when pet owners are negligent in securing their dogs and taking precautions to prevent animal attacks. Unfortunately, dog owners often assume that they dogs are friendly and choose to disobey leash laws or allow their pets to wander freely. In some cases, dogs can become aggressive or frightened and can maul an innocent victim.

If you have been injured by a dog, you may have a legal claim. However, this area of the law is quite complex. Your can always contact the Flaxman Law Group for a free case evaluation to discuss your legal options with a personal injury attorney. The attorneys at the Flaxman Law Group can listen to your version of events and can help you review your legal rights.

Dangerous Dogs in Deerfield Beach and Other Florida Communities

In Florida, dogs that have been declared dangerous dogs require extra attention from dog owners because they're considered more likely to bite. Dangerous dogs are animals that have:

• Previously severely injured a person by mauling, biting, or otherwise attacking. A severe injury is one that has resulted in multiple bites, disfigurement, or fractures.
• Previously killed or severely injured a pet while away from their owner’s property.
• Have been trained for dog fighting or have been used for dog fighting.
• Attacked a person on any public place or approached a person aggressively in a public place without provocation.

In these instances, when a dog is declared dangerous they must be registered with authorities and owners must take additional precautions when walking the dog in private areas to ensure that the dog does not attack.

Who is Liable in a Dog Bite Claim in Deerfield Beach and Elsewhere in Florida?

In some cases, victims may be held partly responsible for the dog bites and may have a hard time pursuing a legal claim. If a person is trespassing on a property when they are attacked by a dog or are abusing, assaulting, or hurting the dog, the dog's owner, or the dog owner’s family, the dog owner is not usually held responsible for any biting or attack. If the dog is acting in self-defense or defense of another person or in self-defense when they bite, the dog owner is also not usually held liable.

Unfortunately, these laws, while designed to protect dog owners and their pets, can also be problematic in cases where a victim is attacked by an animal and it becomes difficult to prove exactly what happened. A dog owner may allege that a victim acted aggressively or otherwise provoked the dog, for example. In these cases, it is important to consult with a personal injury attorney in Deerfield Beach or your community right away so that the attorney can gather evidence as well as statements from witnesses and can gather documented evidence to show exactly what happened.

If you are looking for a personal injury attorney in Deerfield Beach or South Florida, contact the Flaxman Law Group. The full-service law firm serves the entire south Florida area and the attorneys at the Flaxman Law Group have more than 60 years of combined experience to put to work on your case. Your initial consultation is free and comes with no obligation.

---