DogBiteAccidentLawyer.com

Dog Parks and Liability for Dog Bites

Dog parks afford dog owners a wonderful place to take their four-legged friends for a nice walk.  But when a dog bites in a dog park setting, who is liable?  Is the dog owner liable? Or is the dog park liable?  The answer is not as clear cut as one might imagine.  Dog bites in dog parks are legally handled a bit different than those that might occur somewhere else. 

Leash Optional Dog Parks and Liability for Dog Bites

In the leash optional dog park, it is often harder for victims of dog bite to establish that the owner of the dog was negligent by now having his dog on a leash.  Negligence must involve activity that was unreasonable, and it is not unreasonable that the dog was off the leash in a park that allows dogs to do so.  In this type of situation, dog owners are still require to do what is considered by most people to be reasonable, like keeping the dog on a leash if the dog is unneutered, not socialized, has been known to fight with other animals or to bite, or that has a habit of jumping up on people.  If the dog owner does not keep the dog on its leash in a park that is maintained as leash optional, or if the owner allows the dog to cause injury to a person or another animal that could have been prevented, the victim can file a claim against the dog owner.  In some instances, the park itself can be held responsible for the dog’s actions, especially if the park does not require that dogs are leashed. 

Insurance companies for dog owners and dog park operators often argue that those entering the premises have accepted the risk involved, especially if there are signs warning of the risk. Adults and some older children who enter a dog park are in some instances thought to be aware of the risk, and by entering, have consented to the possibility that they might become harmed. However, a competent dog bite lawyer will counter that argument with the fact that the dog owner was in some way acting irresponsibly when his dog attacked and caused injury.  After all, even if you assume a certain level of risk when entering into a dog park where dogs are allowed to roam unleashed, you do not assume that the dogs that are brought to the park would be prone to attacking you.  This is particularly true of dangerous dog breeds that are known to attack, even without provocation, but can hold true of any dog. 

Where to Turn for Help with Dog Bite from Dog Park

If you, a loved one, or even a treasured pet has been attacked or mauled by a dog at a dog park, you need to contact a seasoned dog bit lawyer right away.  DogBiteAccidentLawyer.Com can help you with protect your rights under the law and seek out damages from the at-fault party.  With over a billion dollars in compensation recovered so far, the lawyers working for DogBiteAccidentLawyer.Com know how to handle the big insurance companies that simply want you to go away.