Last updated on August 3rd, 2023
Dogs, as they say, are man’s best friend. However, sometimes they are ill-tempered or poorly trained and can pose a serious danger to humans. Every year, more than 4.5 million Americans are attacked by dogs, and about 800,000 of those attacks result in the need for medical care. Victims may face medical bills, time off work, and emotional distress, but the dog owners may be liable for those costs, therefore, it’s crucial to get an Ohio dog bite lawyer by your side.
In general, dogs get one free bite before their owners become liable. If they bite someone one time, there are no consequences, and the owner is simply expected to take better care to train and restrain her dog in the future.
If you’re bitten by a dog in a common law jurisdiction, you’ll have to prove that the dog has bitten or tried to bite someone else before. You’ll also have to prove that the owner of the dog knew about that incident. It’s tough to prove in court, which is why many states have enacted specific laws tightening the rules for dog bites.
Ohio has strict statutory liability for dog bites. In other words, the Ohio dog bite law explicitly makes the owners liable for every bite, including the first one.
In Ohio, a dog that has bitten or otherwise attacked or harmed another person must be registered as a “dangerous dog.” Ohio Rev. Code § 955.22.
Dangerous dogs are subject to serious restrictions. They must always be on a leash shorter than 6 feet (except while hunting) and they must be kept in a locked cage or locked yard. Dangerous dogs must be registered with the county auditor and must always wear a tag designating them as dangerous. If you sell a dangerous dog, you must notify the purchaser of the dog’s status and inform the county auditor within 10 days of the sale. Ohio Rev. Code § 955.
If you’re convicted of failing to control your dangerous dog three times, you will be required to get liability insurance to cover the chance that the dog will hurt someone. It’s also illegal to debark or surgically silence a dangerous dog in Ohio, and convicted felons may not own dangerous dogs.
If your dog bites someone in Ohio, you’ll need to quarantine it for at least 10 days before removing it from the county. That’s to allow you to observe the dog to determine if it has rabies. If so, the bite victim will need to be treated for rabies as soon as possible.
Most penalties if your dog bites a person or if you fail to adequately register and restrain your dog are misdemeanors. However, if you fail to follow all the regulations pertaining to dangerous dogs and your dangerous dog kills someone, you’re guilty of a fourth-degree felony and the court will order that your dog be put down.
If you haven’t followed all the regulations and your dog seriously injures someone, you’re guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor and the court may choose to have your dog put down.
Finally, you may have to pay fines to the county in addition to whatever damages you’re required to pay to the injured person.
Anyone who has knowledge of a dog bite, whether it is the person bitten or the owner of the dog, needs to file a bite incident report to the health commissioner in the local health jurisdiction where the bite occurred within 24 hours. A rabies exposure risk assessment will be completed, and the dog will be quarantined.
The Ohio Department of Health tracks animal bites yearly, including potential exposure to rabies via bites. In 2020, the latest year available, there were 15,358 potential rabies-exposure dog bites in Ohio.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, don’t hesitate to seek legal counsel with us right now!
Dog bite wounds should be thoroughly washed with soap and water as soon as possible and the injured area should be elevated. A trip to your doctor also is warranted, if not the emergency room depending on the severity of the bite. If a dog bite is deep enough, it can damage muscles, tendons, nerves, or bones.
Dog bites can also cause infections that need to be treated with antibiotics for 7 to 14 days (though you may be put on antibiotics anyway to prevent infection). People with diabetes, liver disease, or illnesses that suppress the immune system may be more likely to develop an infection from a dog bite.
Three different parties may be responsible for the behavior of the dog. The first, obviously, is the owner. However, a harborer or keeper of the dog may also be liable. A harborer is a person who controls the dog’s home. The most common example is that of a dog owned by a person who lives with her parents; the parents are harborers of the dog.
In general, landlords are not considered harborers and are not responsible for the behavior of tenants’ dogs. However, landlords may be held responsible if the bite or attack happens in a common area. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to contact an Ohio dog bite lawyer.
If you’re bitten by a dog in Ohio, you’re generally entitled to compensation from the owner. That compensation should cover any medical expenses you incur as a result of the dog bite as well as any property damage. If the bite was so severe that you were forced to miss work, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages. You may also be entitled to compensation for “non-economic” losses, such as scarring, pain and suffering, and psychological damage.
If you find that you can’t bring a claim under Ohio’s specific dog bite statutes, remember that you may be able to bring a claim under a different, common law legal theory. For example, you may be able to show that the owner of the dog was acting negligently or recklessly and should have known that you’d be injured. For example, letting a dog loose in a kindergarten is probably negligent behavior.
If you pursue a claim under the common law, you may be able to win punitive damages. Punitive damages are amounts that are intended to punish the dog owner rather than to compensate you for some specific loss. So, you may be able to recover more money in some cases under common law than under the dog bite statute.
Note, however, that owners are protected from common law claims by the One-Bite Rule; you probably can’t recover under common law if it’s the first time their dog has acted out.
You can also pursue a wrongful death claim against the owner of a dog if death occurs. The estate, surviving spouse, and dependents of a person killed by a dog may be entitled to compensation for the death.
If you were trespassing or otherwise committing a crime on the property of the dog owner, you are not entitled to compensation. You’re also not entitled to compensation if you were tormenting or abusing the dog on the owner’s property.
If you’re injured by a dog in Ohio, you may be able to claim compensation directly from the dog owner’s insurance. Homeowner’s insurance is typically the type that covers dog bites. In fact, dog bites account for more than ⅓ of homeowner’s insurance claims in the US and the average claim amount is more than $30,000. Remember that you should consult an Ohio dog bite lawyer before accepting a settlement from the insurance. Their business is minimizing payouts and you won’t be able to ask for anything else if you don’t get enough the first time.
If the dog owner doesn’t have insurance or if you can’t get your compensation through their insurance, you’ll need to file a suit in court. While you should probably get an attorney to deal with an insurance settlement, you should definitely get a dog bite attorney to deal with your lawsuit.
Your Ohio dog bite lawyer can help you decide whether to pursue your claim under the common law, the Ohio dog bit statute, or both and can help you put together the best possible case to get the most possible compensation.
Your dog bite attorney can also help you decide who you should file suit against the owner, a harborer, or a keeper. The success of your suit may depend on correctly assigning the legal blame for your injuries.
As with most other crimes, the law limits the amount of time you have to bring a claim for compensation for injuries sustained due to a dog bite or attack. In Ohio, you have six years from the date of the bite or attack to bring suit. However, if you’re bitten before you turn 18, you have six years from your 18th birthday in which to file. After that time, you lose your right to file a lawsuit and claim compensation.
If you’ve been bitten by a dog, speak to one of our experienced personal injury attorneys. In a free consultation, we’ll go over the circumstances surrounding your injury and help you decide how best to pursue your claim. We handle dog bites and other personal injury cases on a contingent fee basis. That means we only get paid if you do and you never have to pay anything out of pocket.
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Before establishing Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz L.P.A., Doug Mann, a top Ohio Injury Attorney served as a bodily injury claims adjuster at a major insurance firm. With over 40+ years of experience, Doug’s background has proven invaluable in securing maximum cash settlements for his clients swiftly. Since leaving the insurance industry, Doug has devoted his entire legal career to assisting injured clients during their times of greatest need.
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This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Doug Mann who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury attorney.
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