Ohio holds its dog owners responsible for the bad behavior of their beloved pets. If you get attacked by a dog under the care of a negligent owner or boarder, you can hold that party accountable for your losses. While the state pursues criminal action against the offending party, you can demand that an owner fund your recovery.
You don’t have to take civil action alone. Bryan dog bite lawyers can help you compile a civil case against a negligent dog owner. Groth & Associates brings years of civil experience to your pursuit of dog bite compensation. You can work with our personal injury lawyers in Bryan to arrange in or out-of-court action to demand the support you need to recover.
Reach out to our team today to book a FREE dog bite case assessment.
When to Take Civil Action Against a Negligent Dog Owner
The sooner you can take legal action against a dog owner, the sooner you may get the financial support you need to get back on your feet. What’s more, you have a limited amount of time to hold these parties legally accountable for the wrongs you endured due to their negligence.
As stated in Ohio Revised Code section 2305.10, you, a victim or their representative, have two years to bring information about a dog bite accident forward in Ohio courts. You cannot miss your filing deadline if you want Ohio courts to award you the right to fight for accident compensation.
Are you worried about getting your case in before your statute of limitations expires? Let our dog bite lawyers in Bryan get the job done for you.
For a free legal consultation with a dog bite lawyer serving Bryan, call (419) 930-3030
Breaking Down Ohio’s Dog Bite Laws
You have an obligation to bring forward evidence proving that a named party was in possession of or owned the dog when your accident took place.
You further have an obligation to prove that an owner or harborer took no steps to protect you or the people in your party from that dog’s bad behavior.
There are exceptions that allow dog owners and harbors to argue against the assumption of liability for your losses. If these parties can argue that you were trespassing on their property at the time of an accident, you may lose the right to file a claim.
More commonly, owners and harbors argue that you, the victim, antagonized the dog in question, thereby provoking the attack. You have the right to challenge these counter-arguments. Doing so allows you to defend your case to a judge in a bench trial or a jury in a jury trial.
Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (419) 930-3030
Demanding Consequences for Dog Bite Losses
While you can’t hold a dog owner accountable for a dog’s misconduct in criminal court, there are steps dog owners need to take after dog bite accidents to avoid further accusations of negligence.
Likewise, if you choose to bring a dog owner forward in civil court, you may hold that dog owner financially accountable for your recovery. You can charge that owner for your economic and non-economic losses, including reduced quality of life on top of emergency care.
You may not, however, demand that a dog owner put their dog down after a dog bite accident. The only time wherein a dog must face euthanization after a dog bite accident is when said dog proves an immediate health threat to themselves and their community.
What Legal Support to Expect From Bryan Dog Bite Lawyers
Ohio takes dog bite accidents seriously. That’s why there are so many statutes applying to dog bite cases and the behavior owners need to engage in to make up for a dog’s misconduct. Even so, all of those statutes can prove challenging to break down, particularly if you’ve never interacted with the civil system before.
Fortunately, Bryan dog bite attorneys want to help you make the most of the statutes applicable to your case. You can meet with our team for free to discuss how to work within these statutes to get the compensation you deserve based on your dog bite accident losses. Meeting with our team does not obligate you to continue pursuing civil action against a negligent owner.
Instead, whether or not you move forward with a dog bite accident case remains entirely up to you. You can count on Groth & Associates to protect your best interests, no matter how you choose to move forward.
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Contact Our Team for Civil Support
Dog bite accidents can lay you out for days or weeks at a time. You shouldn’t have to take the physical and financial losses that come with these accidents lying down. You can work with Groth & Associates to hold a negligent dog owner financially accountable for your losses.
The dog bite accident lawyers in Bryan, OH, can investigate your losses and argue for your right to compensation today. Moreover, the team works on contingency. We prioritize your financial health and do not get paid for our services unless we win your case.
Contact us today to discuss how our dog bite accident services can help you get back on your feet.
Call or text (419) 930-3030 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form