A dog attack is more than frightening. It can also lead to serious physical harm such as cuts, fractures, and infections. As a result, many dog bite victims must receive extensive medical treatment and endure a lengthy rehabilitation process. The cost of this treatment can be highly burdensome – especially if the victim cannot work due to his or her injuries.
Fortunately, Alabama law gives victims several ways to hold dog owners accountable for the injuries and losses which they suffer. If a dog recently attacked you in Dothan, personal injury attorney Aaron Gartlan can help you to explore all of your options. Ultimately, he can develop a strategy that is aimed at securing maximum compensation for you.
Contact us now to discuss your case in a free consultation. As you will quickly see, we take the time to listen to our clients. We also work tirelessly to deliver life-changing results for them.
Can a Dothan Dog Bite Lawyer Help You?
If a dog bites or otherwise attacks you in Dothan, you may be eligible to recover compensation through one or more different routes. Gartlan Injury Law will thoroughly investigate your case and help you to evaluate options that may include:
Strict Liability Regarding an Animal Attack in Dothan
Like many states, Alabama has a statute that imposes strict liability on a dog bite owner if the owner’s dog attacks and injures another person. This is Alabama Code § 3-6-1. However, the law applies in only limited circumstances.
Those circumstances are:
- The dog bit or injured the victim.
- The victim did not provoke the attack.
- At the time of the attack, the victim was legally on the property which the dog owner owned or controlled, or the dog had just chased the victim from the property.
Additionally, Alabama law allows the dog’s owner to plead that they had no knowledge of any circumstances which indicated that the dog was vicious, dangerous or mischievous. If they can establish that lack of knowledge, the dog’s owner can greatly reduce the amount of compensation which they – or, in most cases, their homeowners’ insurance provider – pays to the victim.
Negligence Per Se With Regards to a Dog Bite in Dothan
In some situations, a dog bite victim may be able to establish negligence as a matter of law, or negligence per se, by showing that the dog owner violated a local “leash law.” For example, in Dothan, a local ordinance (Sec. 10-112) prohibits dog owners from allowing their pets to be “at large,” or off the owner’s property unless the dog is under the restraint of a leash or chain (Sec. 10-142). The state of Alabama also has ordinances regarding keeping animals under control. But they ultimately defer to local municipalities’ ordinances. Essentially, if you live in Dothan, then Dothan’s local ordinances apply.
Finally, it is important to note that Alabama is a pure contributory negligence state. In other words, if a dog owner can establish that a victim’s own negligence contributed to the attack, the victim may be barred from recovering any compensation. According to the Alabama Supreme Court, “Contributory negligence is an affirmative and complete defense to a claim based on negligence. In order to establish contributory negligence, the defendant bears the burden of proving that the plaintiff 1) had knowledge of the dangerous condition; 2) had an appreciation of the danger under the surrounding circumstances; With that said, at Gartlan Injury Law, we will aggressively challenge any unfounded attempts to blame you for your dog bite injuries.
When we take on your case, we will take care of collecting and analyzing your medical records. We may also consult with your doctors and other medical experts in order to determine the impact of your injuries on your health, your ability to work and your enjoyment of life.
