The threat of someone’s dog deciding to randomly attack a stranger is something that is real all over the world. In the United States has personal injury and other civil laws meant to protect and award victims in dog bite cases.
In recent years, the state of Florida has beefed up their civil laws to hold the owner of an attacking dog more accountable. “The new laws are taking a two-prong approach,” says Angela, an injury attorney located in Melbourne, Florida. “Firstly, they create more restrictions on dogs already deemed to be dangerous. Second, they allow a larger reward should a person be found guilty of owning a dog that has bitten someone.”
The new laws allow dog-bite victims to receive up to $100,000 in civil court. Also, dogs deemed to be dangerous must register and be leashed at all times, no exceptions.
There was a serious incident which occurred last summer at the local dog-friendly beach in Brevard County. According to her police report, Alisha Stweart was walking her small dog on the beach when a man’s great Dane approached. In her words: “The dog attacked me, and he jumped in between me and the other dog, and that’s when the altercation started.”
The man was cited and the victim is now seeking compensation for the incident. This is the perfect example of when an injury attorney would help. The speed at which an attorney can have the case resolved in exponentially faster than one might think.
“People should be able to walk their pet without fear of being mauled by a large aggressive dog”, a witness to the incident stated. The law agrees and now the punishment is more severe for those negligent dog owners that allow this to happen.
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