It is a legal responsibility of a dog owner to look after his or her dog. If he has bitten someone, the owner will be liable to pay for the medical expenses and the injuries. The dogs may act weird sometimes and they may chase, hurt, and attack anyone going on the road. In such events, the injured person can sue the dog owner. The compensation can be received with the help of a dog bite attorney Manchester who helps people who have been injured during dog attacks.
Taking the necessary actions
If an injured person has filed a claim, you should assess the case and understand various scenarios as mentioned below:
Did the injured person provoke the dog?
Out of many reasons, one major reason for a dog bite is provocation. It may be in the form of hitting, poking or teasing the dog. If the owner can prove in the court that the injured person has provoked the animal that caused him an injury, the court is going to relieve the owner of some liability.
Was the injured person aware of the injury?
In many instances, the dog owner will not be held responsible for paying the compensation. For instance, if he had put the board in front of his home “beware of dogs” and the injured person knew about the risk of entering the house. Besides that, if the injured person agreed to take care of the dog for some time and the incident took place. In both cases, the dog owner will not be held liable to pay compensation.
Has the dog bitten the trespasser?
The dog owner is not asked to pay if someone tried to enter the property. The major reason why people keep dogs is that they want to keep their homes safe. If someone has been injured from a dog bite when he tried to trespass, the dog owner is not liable to pay.
Is the injured person at-fault?
The dog owner does not need to pay if the injured person is at-fault and caused a dog bite. The carelessness of an injured person may result in injuries. The lesser amount may be offered to the injured person in this case.
To deal with these cases, you will need to contact a dog bite lawyer. They can closely analyze the circumstances and suggest the best way to come out of the difficult situation.