Known for their loyalty and obedience, dogs are one of the most popular pets in America. In spite of this, in the United States, more than 1,000 people seek emergency room treatment for dog bites every day. Each year, in Providence, Kent, and Washington Counties, Rhode Island, many adults and children suffer serious and sometimes fatal injuries as a result of an unprovoked dog attack. Dog bites can result in permanent physical scarring, disfigurement, and psychological trauma that lasts long after the attack. If you or a love one suffered injuries in an unprovoked dog attack, you can file a lawsuit for compensation, but you may want a skilled attorney to help you.
Liability for Dog Bites
In the Ocean State, if you are bitten by a dog while it is outside of an enclosed area (such as the owner’s yard), the dog’s keeper or owner is liable for your injuries. It the bite occurs inside of the dog’s enclosure, you must prove that the owner was aware of the dog’s tendency to be vicious in order for the owner to have strict liability for the attack. This can be proven by producing evidence that the dog was involved in previous unprovoked attacks on adults or children.
Under Rhode Island law, it’s important to determine if a dog injured a child or an adult previously and the owner was held liable for those injuries in a lawsuit. If this is true, and the dog causes a subsequent injury and the owner is again held liable, he may be required to pay double the amount of damages.
There are a number of damages you may claim in a dog attack personal injury case. These include:
Economic damages.
These types of damages can include medical costs, lost earnings, diminished future income, and life care.
Non-economic damages.
These types of damages include emotional distress, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.
If the victim’s injuries prove fatal, family members may also be entitled to claim damages for wrongful death. In this case, it must be proven that the dog attack victim died as a result of the bites, and the surviving family members have suffered financially due to the death.
Have You Been Injured By A Dog?
If you've been bitten or injured by a dog in you need to speak with an experienced dog bite lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Warwick office directly at 401.946.3200 to schedule your free consultation. We help accident victims in Providence, Warwick and all areas of Rhode Island.
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