Are you a Florida resident and dog owner? If so, you may be wondering what to do if your dog bites someone and they decide to sue you for damages. It is usually a good idea to consult a Florida defense lawyer if this happens to you. There are several different arguments a lawyer can use on your behalf to minimize any damages owed.
A lawyer can argue, depending on the circumstances, that the person who was bitten by your dog either provoked the dog into attacking; was trespassing on your property when he or she was bitten; took on a voluntary risk of getting bitten; or was unreasonably careless and thus contributed to his or her own injury. Obviously, not all of these defenses are likely to be applicable to your situation, and a Florida defense attorney will be able to explain which ones would be appropriate for you. For example, if a stranger is trespassing on your property and attempts to steal a gift package off of your porch after it was left there by a delivery person, and your dog sees him or her and bites him or her, the trespassing defense is much more likely to be usable for you than if a neighbor’s child simply ran onto your lawn to retrieve a ball that went over the property line.
The fact that you may believe your dog is not dangerous will typically not be a viable defense. It is most often assumed that you have responsibility for your dog’s behavior. If the victim of the dog bite was not acting appropriately, however, you may have recourse.
Our experienced team of local attorneys is here to answer your questions. We know local experience matters! For more information, please reach out to our office. You may call, chat, or contact us at any time. Put our team to work for you!