Just imagine your child playing outside in front of their grandparent’s home when they are attacked by a dog. That’s exactly what happened to 4 year old Charlie Henderson, according to Orlando News 6, “Before you knew it, the dog came out of the blue, jumped on him, tackled him down to the floor and bit him in the face, said Wendy Morales, who immediately took her grandson to the hospital.”
Dog bites such as this happen almost every day in Orange county. “Today he has a little scar on his face,” said Morales, who claims her grandson is afraid Duke will return someday and attack him again. “He’s petrified. He don’t want to go out. He doesn’t want to ride his bike on the sidewalk.”
Florida Dog Bite Laws
Florida has their own laws governing dogs who bite people. Florida Statutes 767.10 states,
The Legislature finds that dangerous dogs are an increasingly serious and widespread threat to the safety and welfare of the people of this state because of unprovoked attacks which cause injury to persons and domestic animals; that such attacks are in part attributable to the failure of owners to confine and properly train and control their dogs; that existing laws inadequately address this growing problem; and that it is appropriate and necessary to impose uniform requirements for the owners of dangerous dogs.
Dog ownership is becoming more popular in Central Florida, with it comes responsibility. Florida Statutes 767.04 states,
The owner of any dog that bites any person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owners’ knowledge of such viciousness.
DogBite.org reveal staggering dog bite statistics,
“Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. Nearly 1 out of 5 bites becomes infected”
“Dog bites occur every 75 seconds in the United States. Each day, over 1,000 citizens need emergency medical care to treat these injuries.”
“Dog attack victims suffer over $1 billion in monetary losses annually. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reports this estimate to be as high as $2 billion.”
The effects of a dog bite can be serious and cause long term emotional and physical damage. If you or a family member has been a victim of a dog bite you have the right to seek financial compensation. The law office of James P. Kelley will work diligently to seek the maximum compensation for your injuries.