Injuries for Dog Bites in Ohio

There are two ways to bring a lawsuit to recover for your damages as a result of a dog bite.  Ohio has a statute that specifically provides for dog bite attacks and that provides for strict liability against the owner of the dog that attacked you.  This statute makes it significantly easier to get compensation for your damages against dog owners.  Additionally, you could bring a lawsuit in negligence, which will require you to prove that the dog owner violated his duty of reasonable care with respect to the dog, that the dog attack in fact caused your injuries, and that you suffered damages as a result of the attack.  Through a negligence claim, if the dog owner was grossly negligent or malicious in his conduct that led to the dog attack, then you could recover punitive damages as well.

Through Ohio's Dog Bite Statute, the dog owner is automatically responsible for your damages and injuries.  The dog does not have to prove itself dangerous first and the owner does not have to first know of the dog's dangerous propensities in order to be held liable for your injuries.  Ohio Revised Code section 955.28(B) provides that a dog owner, keeper, or harborer is liable for any injury caused by a dog if:

• the dog's behavior caused the injury
• the injured person was not committing or attempting to commit a crime
• the injured person was not trespassing 
• the injured person did not provoke the dog by teasing, tormenting, or abusing it

Even if you were not bitten, but knocked down by a dog and suffered injuries then you are covered under Ohio's dog bite statute.  

Contact an Harris & Engler to have an attorney look over the facts of your case and see how much compensation you may be entitled to by filling out this brief intake form.