Have you ever been Attacked by a Dog in Virginia? Virginia is considered a one bite state. The one bite rule establishes a type of liability between the owner and dog attack’s victim. Essentially, the dog has “one free bite,” which is to say that a dog may not be considered dangerous or vicious until after the first attack. This rule has long been debated throughout the United States. The thought process guiding this rule is that the owner of the dog needs a chance to understand that their animal is dangerous. Without a primary incident occurring, it can be difficult to know if a dog is truly dangerous or not since domestic animals aren’t typically considered injurious or dangerous by general standards.
Nonetheless, if the attacked person feels like they have been bitten due to the negligence of the owner, then they may have a case at hand that can be pursued in the Virginia court of law. There are attorneys in the area who can help attacked persons pursue a court case against the owner of the animal that has attacked them. Adults can file for one of these cases for themselves or for children. Children, due to their smaller stature, are particular susceptible to dog bite attacks.
Dogs may bite a person for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the heat in Virginia can give a dog symptoms similar to heat stroke which can provoke the animal to an aggressive state. In other situations, the dog is simply aggressive and hasn’t been properly contained. Human beings may also be the source of a dog bite attack. For example, a young child without any experience around dogs may rouse a dog to bite by pulling its ears, tail, or being too rough in nature with the animal.
Depending on the situation and circumstances of the attack as well its severity, a court case could be in order. Lawyers who have training and expertise in dog bite attacks understand that too often are attacks preventable by the owners of the animals. One option for dog bite attack cases includes Dulaney Lauer Thomas, a firm that focuses on injury law, and provided consultation on dog bite attacks in particular. To learn more about this practice and its attorneys, visit Dulaneylauerthomas.com.
