The dog bite law in Maryland is based on a fault system. The law is created in such a way that will not make the dog owner immediately responsible if the dog bites you. The law of Maryland is different and will make the dog owners responsible only under certain circumstances. To have better chances at proving the liability of the dog owner, you should contact a dog bite injury lawyer from Maryland.
More people are bitten each year than you could imagine
Dog bites are a common problem in U.S. It is estimated that around 5 million people get bitten by dogs each year, but only around 1 million seek further medical attention after a dog bite. This means that someone is seeking medical care every 30 seconds every day for a dog bite wound. As a statistic, around 60% of all bites happen in the home and children are the most frequent victims. A dog bite child injury in Maryland is extremely dangerous, and sometimes could prove to be fatal.
Liability
In Maryland, the dog bite law states that the owner can be liable for their dog's actions in 2 situations.
Strict liability. This is applicable for the cases where the owner was aware, or should have been mindful of the fact that their animal can cause harm to humans. If their dog has bitten someone before, you will have a strong liability case. If the dog did not bite anyone before but has been threatening people (such as lunge or growl at them), then you still have a strong liability case.A In addition to this, there is a strict law concerning pit bull bites. As of April 26, 2012, pit bulls are considered dangerous (case Tracey v. Solesky). If a pit bull bit you, the owner will have to pay you dog bite injury compensation in MD. You can file the case with the help of a dog bite injury attorney from Annapolis, and you could easier reach a dog bite injury settlement in Maryland.
Negligence. This is the second situation where the dog owner can be found responsible for their dog's bites. This happens when the dog owner did not exercise an efficient control of their animal in a situation where it would be expected for an injury to occur. It is considered that the dog owner knows how much control they must exert to monitor their dog. Furthermore, the dog owner should be aware of their dog's propensities. For example, if someone was riding a bike and crashed because of a dog and the dog's owner knew about their dog's temper, then they will be liable for not controlling their dog.
The leash law
There is another factor that can help you reach a dog bite injury settlement in Maryland, and that is the leash law of Maryland. The leash will assist the owner to better control and restrain their dog. Any violations of the leash law will win your case against the dog owner and will get you dog bite injury compensation in MD. Of course, with a dog bite injury attorney from Annapolis on your side, this will prove to be an easier job.
If a dog bit you or your child, you could contact a dog bite injury lawyer from Maryland at (443) 569-3950 or email at chris@annapolisaccidentattorney.com for a free consultation of the case.