Why a dog that bites once is likely to cause more personal injury

Pet owners have a responsibility to prevent their animals from harming others. Still, too many pet owners refuse to acknowledge that their animal could cause personal injury in Tennessee. The consequences of this negligence can be dire – consider the New Jersey woman who was recently attacked by her neighbor’s dog. The woman suffered disfiguring injuries to her face and injured her back during the attack, which happened while she was pet-sitting her neighbor’s German shepherd chow-chow mix. The result? An $850,000 settlement for medical expenses.

In that instance, the dog had already bitten two people prior to the major incident that led to the animal attack verdict. The dog’s owners failed to notify the woman that she could be at risk of being harmed by a dog bite. This raises the question – is it smart for pet owners to keep dogs that have a history of attacking people?

Experts say that pet owners whose dogs have bitten once are likely to strike again. Even though the first dog bite may not be serious, the next could quickly escalate into a liability situation that leaves the pet owners in dire financial straits – not to mention the injuries suffered by the aggrieved victim. Pet owners should take the time to properly socialize their animals, making sure that the first bite never happens in the first place.

Victims who have been subject to personal injury, disfigurement and other damages because of an animal bite may be entitled to compensation for their animal bite claims. These victims should not have to pay for their own medical expenses or pain and suffering. Instead, the irresponsible dog owner should be held to task for negligence.

Source: New Jersey 101.5, “Why you should not keep a dog that bites,” Jeff Deminski, April 27, 2017