Dog Bites

Were You Bitten By Someone Else’s Dog? You Have Rights!

In the United States, more than 4.7 million people are injured by dog bites each year. Every day, nearly 1,000 people are taken to emergency rooms seeking medical treatment for a dog bite injury. If you or your child has been bitten by someone else’s dangerous pet, you deserve to be compensated for your losses. When you retain the help of a Florida injury lawyer from The Florida Law Group, you can fight to hold the dog owner accountable. Our firm has been representing wrongfully injured victims since 1982 – and now, we are ready to help you.

Why Should You Call the Personal Injury Lawyers at The Florida Law Group?

• Our lead attorney is a Board Certified Civil Trial Expert
• Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for our clients
• We have been named to the Florida Super Lawyers® list
• We have been listed among the ®
• We work on a contingency fee basis – no recovery, no fee
• We will start your case with a FREE, no-risk evaluation

Understanding the Basics of Florida’s Dog Bite Laws

In Florida, all dog owners are held strictly liable for the actions of their pet. This means that, under the law, a dog owner can be held liable for damages if their dog bites another person—even if they had no prior knowledge that their dog was dangerous or had the propensity to bite. This also means that the victim does not need to show that the bite was caused by a lack of reasonable care on the part of the owner.

The law simply states that an owner is liable for damages if their dog bites another person who is “on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog.” However, it should be noted that a dog owner’s liability can be reduced if the victim provoked the attack. Similarly, the owner cannot be held liable if another person was bitten while trespassing on their property.

There are exceptions to Florida’s “strict liability” dog bite law, including:

1. The victim was trespassing on private property
2. The owner posted a sign that displayed “bad dog”
3. The victim provoked or antagonized the dog

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

If you were bitten by another person’s dog in Florida, you should know that the statute of limitations will restrict the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. You will only have four years from the date of the injury to file your case; otherwise, you will be prohibited from recovering damages. For this reason, you should discuss your case with our Tampa personal injury attorneys as soon as possible.

Request Your Free Consultation with The Florida Law Group

At The Florida Law Group, we know just how devastating a dog bite injury can be. Not only can it lead to expensive medical bills and time spent away from work, but it can also cause a great deal of pain and suffering. Our firm is ready to pursue the level of compensation you deserve – all you have to do is give us a call. Backed by more than 100 years of legal experience, our injury lawyers can be trusted to handle your case.