Dog bites

So, we wanted to talk about dog bites today. So, I thought I’d invite my dog Kai into the spot. So, Kai is a 10 pound golden doodle and not very scary. I used to have larger dogs. I had two German Shepherds. I used to be a K9 officer for the Central Falls Police Department. But to be honest with you, I got tired having hair all over my apartment or home. And so, I bought a dog that doesn’t shed. She’s crazy. And she doesn’t bite. So, dog bites. What do you need to know? It really depends on the state that you’re in. So, for example, in Massachusetts, we need to prove the standard care of negligence. Negligence means duty, breach, causation, and damages. We need to show that the owner of the dog was negligent, that the dog wasn’t being cared for, it wasn’t on a leash, it was outside of its property, or it was on the property, and you weren’t warned and the dog bit you, and the owner is at fault. In Rhode Island, we have technically the one free bite rule. So, it’s a strange rule. And if the dog’s never been aggressive before and has never bit anyone, it’s possible that the owner is not going to be responsible. Everywhere has a leash law, so dogs have to be on the leash. But depending on what happened in Rhode Island, we have to consider the one free bite rule. The dog sounds more scary than she is. Especially when she has a toy. Sounds vicious, but not really. So, if you get bit by a dog, we’ve handled hundreds of dog bite claims. Call us. We’re licensed in Rhode Island, Mass, Connecticut, New Hampshire. And we can help you.