Boston Dog Bite Lawyer

Are you seeking compensation for an injury you sustained from a dog bite? Schedule your free consultation to learn how Rubenstein Law can help you protect your rights. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, over 4.5 million people experience dog bites every year, with 800,000 requiring medical care. Half of all dog bite injuries happen to children.

A dog bite occurs when a dog closes its mouth on some part of the person’s body and its teeth make contact with the skin. A no-skin contact dog bite of aggression is a Level 1 dog bite. If you get bit by a dog, even if it doesn’t seem that bad, seek medical attention immediately. It is important to go to the emergency room whether the dog’s teeth punctured the skin or not. Seeking medical attention immediately will not only ensure the best outcome for your injury, but it will also document the big bite occurrence in case you need to pursue a dog bite injury claim later.

Dog Bite vs. Dog Attack

A dog bite is a one time occurrence. A dog attack, on the other hand, sometimes involves more than one dog bite, has a greater risk of causing serious injuries, and may also involve scratches and slip and fall injuries from being knocked down by the dog. Sometimes a dog attack can cause severe injury without an actual bite. If you have been viciously attacked by a dog, contact our law firm to see how we can help.

How Common Are Dog Bites?

The Boston Public Health Commission receives over 300 dog bite reports each year. There are thousands of people in Massachusetts who have been bitten by dogs. The victims with severe injuries involving the head/face/neck tend to be young children. Dog bites also carry the risk of rabies so again, even if the injury seems minimal, immediate medical care is required.

What Causes Dog Attacks?

Most people who get bitten by dogs do nothing to provoke the dogs into attacking them. Dogs who bite are usually displaying one or more types of aggressive behavior. The dog’s breeding history and treatment by all of its previous owners are major factors in dogs displaying aggressive behavior toward humans, other dogs, or both. Some dogs have a natural tendency to be aggressive.

Find the Dog Bite Injury Lawyer You Need to Win

Most people are not prepared financially to deal with dog bite injuries and do not know much about dog bite law in Massachusetts. Also, the damages the injuries cause often go beyond the costs of medical treatment alone. Personal injury cases involving severe injuries or wrongful death can be difficult to quantify and obtain compensation for, and this is where a dog bite injury lawyer can step in to help.

If you are looking for a dog bite lawyer near you, our Boston dog bite attorney can help.  At Rubenstein Law, we offer free consultations. Our personal injury firm will review your case and discuss your legal options. Even if you choose not to move forward, you will walk away with a solid evaluation of your case, for free.

Dog Bite Laws Across the Country

Dog bite laws differ depending on the state. Some states have a “one bite rule” which means a dog’s owner is responsible for a dog attack if they knew the dog would act dangerously. The logic of the law is that after one bite, the owner is aware of the dog’s behavior and is therefore strictly liable. Some states have a modified “one bite rule” where the owner is responsible if they knew the dog was vicious and they were careless about it, or if the dog attack was unprovoked.

Massachusetts Dog Bite Laws

Massachusetts dog bite law imposes strict liability on dog owners, meaning they are responsible for damages to people or property. Plaintiffs in dog bite cases do not have to prove fault by negligence to receive compensation. This Massachusetts dog bite law applies even if the dog owner takes reasonable care to restrain the dog and even if the dog had never been aggressive before.

What to Do If Your Dog Bit Someone

Dog owners in Massachusetts are usually the at-fault party for dog bites if there was no provocation or trespassing involved. Dog bite law in Massachusetts states that dog owners must muzzle their dogs in public, and dog owners in Massachusetts that encourage or allow their dogs to attack people or other dogs may be charged with a crime. Massachusetts law states that a dangerous dog is a dog that bites when unprovoked and causes injury or wrongful death.

Will my dog be euthanized for biting someone?

There are extremely rare circumstances in which a dog owner’s local animal control will euthanize the dog. All dogs that bite someone must be quarantined for 10 days to check for rabies. Generally, however, dog owners do not have to worry about their dog being euthanized.

Does homeowners’ insurance cover dog bites in Massachusetts?

Yes, homeowners insurance in Massachusetts offers some sort of coverage for personal liability. It includes dog bites, which are classed as a personal liability loss event as with bodily injury or property damage you cause.

Other states may not cover dog bites in a standard homeowners homeowner's insurance policy but instead, have it as an opt-in, or deny coverage for certain breeds. Massachusetts does not have any breed-specific legislation. You are not legally required to have insurance coverage for your dog, but it is automatically included if you have personal liability.

What to Do if You Were Bitten by a Dog

If you are injured from a dog bite, go to the emergency room for immediate medical attention. Some dog bite injuries don’t have puncture wounds but can still cause crushing injuries to your ligaments and other soft tissues. You should also contact animal control to report the incident, and contact a Boston dog bite lawyer as soon as possible.

What types of compensation is available to those who get bitten by a dog?

Damages for dog bite injury claims include economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages. They may also include non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and post traumatic stress disorder.

My neighbor's dog attacked me and I was asked to sign papers by their insurance company. Should I sign?

No, you should not sign anything from the dog owner’s insurance company. You will not be able to get the dog bite injury settlement you deserve if you sign anything or make any recorded statements over the phone to their insurance company or their lawyer. Instead, contact a Boston dog bite lawyer first to get advice and representation. They can negotiate a better settlement for you.

The owner of the dog who attacked me doesn't have insurance. Can I still take legal action?

If they are a renter, you may be able to sue the landlord for your dog bite injury claim. If instead they are a homeowner and do not have insurance coverage for dog bites, you can still take legal action, but you may not be able to receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. They could have gotten homeowners insurance before getting the dog and never updated their homeowner’s insurance policy. Someone else might also be a liable party, like if the dog was being walked by someone else or the attack occurred on someone else’s property. The only way to know for sure whether you can collect and who you can hold liable is to get help from a dog bite attorney.

Does the dog have to bite me to file a dog bite claim?

Massachusetts dog bite law allows people to file a dog bite claim even if they experienced a dog attack rather than specifically a dog bite. This dog bite law makes dog owners responsible for all damages, even if no bites were involved.

Do I need an attorney if I am bitten by a dog in Boston?

You might not need a lawyer for a dog bite if the injury is minor. But if you have serious injuries, you will likely benefit greatly from having a Boston dog bite lawyer represent you. This will ensure you recover maximum compensation.

What to Do if Your Dog Bites Another Dog

You must act quickly if your dog bites another dog. Report the dog bite incident to your insurance company and find out if you have coverage for your dog in your homeowner's insurance policy.

What if my dog was provoked?

You must be able to prove that the other dog provoked your dog. You must also be able to prove you were taking reasonable care to restrain your dog during the incident.

Can a dog bite lawsuit be settled out of court?

Sometimes, a dog bite settlement can be obtained out of court, as long as both parties agree on fair compensation. If the insurance company involved does not offer a settlement that is fair and reasonable, the case will then go to trial.

Protect yourself

No dog owner wants to be in a scenario where their dog bites or attacks anyone. You don’t want anyone to experience the pain, fear, and shock of a dog attack. To protect yourself, make sure to never leave your dog unsupervised, especially around children. It’s also important for your dog to undergo training classes and socialization from a young age to prevent aggressive behaviors such as resource guarding and territory dominance that can result in dog attacks.

What Do Dog Attack Lawyers Do?

Dog bite lawyers represent plaintiffs (the injured persons) in dog bite cases. They are specialized personal injury attorneys that help people who have been injured by a dog to file their dog bite claims. This includes investigating the incident, and negotiating with the dog owner’s insurance company to recover compensation for all damages. A dog bite injury attorney is especially important for injuries with serious trauma, disfigurement, lost wages, costly medical bills, disability, or even wrongful death.

What to Look For in a Top Dog Bites Lawyer

Contingency

Many people injured due to the negligence of someone else’s dog do not have the resources to deal with the lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress that comes with such an incident. Financial suffering is common when a person gets injured, whether it’s a dog bite, a car accident, or another type of situation.

Our Boston dog bite lawyers take cases based on contingency, meaning that you do not pay them until you recover compensation. We will never ask you to pay out of pocket and you only pay when we win your case.

Experience

Boston dog bite attorneys who have had experience with a variety of cases not only can seek compensation for your lost wages and past medical bills but future medical bills. No two dog bite cases are the same, and an experienced attorney will be skilled at recovering full and fair compensation for your injury claim no matter what your unique circumstances may be.

Reputation

It is important for a leading dog bite injury attorney to be honest, hardworking, and treat clients with compassion and dignity. Choose a lawyer you can trust because they have a proven track record of helping other people in situations similar to yours.

Contact a Boston Dog Bite Lawyer Today

Though our dogs often share our homes with us and are considered by many to be family members, dogs sometimes cause injury to others, just like people do. When this happens, it can be traumatizing and overwhelming. You may not know what to do next. Truthfully, the best thing you can do for yourself is to seek legal representation as soon as possible after your injury.