Getting bit by a dog, whether you know the dog or not, can be very scary. You might not be looking at a big injury, but some of these injuries can land you in the hospital for stitches or even worse. You may spend a few days or weeks in the hospital if you get caught in a vicious dog bit.
If that happens, you may be wondering who is liable for damages caused by a dog bite injury.
In Minnesota, there is a “strict liability” rule for these injuries. All dog owners will be held liable if the following requirements are met (according to Section 347.22 of the Minnesota Statutes):
- The person who was bitten was acting peacefully.
- He or she did not provoke the dog in any way.
- The person was allowed to be where he or she was. This means that the person who was bitten was on public property or was invited onto private property (or was at his or her own home).
With a dog bite case, you don’t have to prove that the owner was negligent when it came to his or her dog. In fact, you don’t even have to get bitten. These laws also apply to other attacks and injuries that occur due to a dog. If a dog jumps up and knocks you over, you may have a case.
It is important to remember that dog owners are going to be liable, even if they couldn’t imagine that their dog would bite or attack anyone. In some states, there is a “one-bite” rule, which basically means that an owner has to know that their dog would attack someone before they are liable. After they bite someone for the first time, they will be held liable.
So, what should I do if I have been injured in a dog bite injury?
If you have been injured by a dog, there are certain steps that you have to take. You need to:
- Talk to the owner. It is important that you find out some basic information about the dog before you go rushing away from the scene of the accident. You are going to want the contact information for the owner. You also need to find out whether or not the dog is up-to-date on his or her vaccines.
- Seek medical assistance. Whether there is a little blood (or a lot), it is important for you to get your wound taken care of. The first thing that you need to do is wash the area and apply pressure to stop the bleeding. You may want to call your doctor or visit an urgent care center or even the emergency room at your local hospital, depending on your injuries.
- Follow the orders of the doctor. You need to listen to your doctor in order to fully heal. If you have to take antibiotics or get a rabies shot because the dog was unvaccinated, you need to do everything that you are told. Make sure that you go to any follow-up appointments to make sure that it continues to heal the way that it should.
- Talk to a lawyer who specializes in dog bite injuries. An experienced lawyer will be able to talk to you about your case and options so that you can decide how you want to proceed. He or she will be able to figure out how much compensation you deserve and help you get it!
If you have been injured in a dog bite injury, don’t hesitate to contact us today. We will be glad to help you get through this difficult time by making sure that you get the compensation that you deserve.