Animal and Dog Bites

Many people in Connecticut own dogs and other pets, and often consider them indispensable members of their families. Although a pet may be beloved, it is still an animal, and even treasured pets can unexpectedly attack people, causing serious harm. In many instances, the owner of an animal can be held liable for harm caused by an attack, but what an injured party must prove to establish liability varies depending on the circumstances. If you sustained injuries in dog or other animal attack, the capable Plainville and Bristol animal injury lawyers of Jainchill & Beckert, LLC can advise you of your options for seeking compensation and assist you in striving to hold the animal’s owner accountable for your damages. Our experienced attorneys have been representing injured parties in the Connecticut courts for more than sixty years, and we are available to assist people in Plainville and Bristol, as well as in Southington, New Britain, Farmington, and across Connecticut.

Connecticut law imposes liability on dog owners for harm caused by dog attacks. Specifically, the Connecticut dog bite law, as it is commonly referred to, states that if a dog causes any bodily harm to a person, the owner or keeper of the dog is liable for the damage. The dog bite law is a strict liability statute, which means that the victim of a dog attack does not need to show that the dog owner or keeper negligently allowed the attack to occur or knew that the dog was likely to attack. Instead, the victim merely needs to prove that he or she was attacked by the dog and suffered damages as a result. A knowledgeable animal injury attorney serving Bristol and Plainville can review your case to determine whether you may be able to bring this kind of claim.

Notably, a dog owner or keeper will not be held strictly liable for harm caused by the dog if the victim was trespassing or committing some other tort at the time of the attack. The person responsible for the dog will also not be strictly liable if the victim was abusing, tormenting, or teasing the dog at the time of the attack. If the victim was under seven years old, though, it is presumed that he or she was not committing a tort or instigating an attack, and the burden is on the defendant to prove otherwise.

If a victim suffers harm due to an attack by an animal other than a dog or wishes to pursue claims against a person other than an owner or keeper of a dog for a dog attack, the victim must generally prove negligence, and a seasoned Plainville or Bristol animal injury lawyer can help. For example, a landlord could be deemed liable for harm caused by a dog attack if the victim can prove that the landlord knew the dog was dangerous but permitted the tenant to keep the dog at his or her home regardless. Additionally, owners of other domestic animals such as cats, or exotic or farm animals such as snakes or other reptiles, horses, or pigs may be held liable for negligence if their animals attack people. In Connecticut, to prove negligence led to a victim’s harm, the victim must show that the defendant owed them a duty, but that the defendant acted in a manner that breached this duty, and that the breach caused the victim’s harm. While the breach does not have to be the sole cause of the victim’s harm, it must be a substantial factor that contributed to the harm. For example, in cases involving an animal attack, a person may be held liable for failing to properly restrain or control their animals when they knew the animals posed a risk of harm to others.

Animal attacks may not only cause significant physical harm, but they often cause serious emotional and psychological trauma as well. If you sustained injuries in an animal attack, it is wise to speak with a lawyer to discuss your rights. At Jainchill & Beckert, LLC, we have the skills and resources required to help you assert your legal rights and pursue the damages to which you may be entitled. We have an office in Plainville, and we can represent people in personal injury cases in Plainville and Bristol, as well as in other cities throughout Connecticut, including Southington, Farmington, and New Britain. You can contact us through our form online or at (860) 351-5254 to schedule a consultation regarding your case.