Florida law holds the owner of a dog liable if it injures someone, even if the dog has never before shown aggressive behavior. The old notion of “the first bite is free” no longer applies in Florida, and for good reason. Dog bites can cause extremely serious injuries, disfiguring scars and emotional trauma. Unfortunately, children are often the victims of dog attacks.

In addition to the wounds caused by a dog bite, serious infections can occur. We recently handled a case where a woman was bitten by a dog. After being seen in the emergency room for what seemed like a moderate injury, the woman developed a serious infection. Ultimately, she developed reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a serious and permanent neurological disease, in her hand and arm.

Sometimes, the homeowner’s insurance for the owner of the dog will cover dog attacks. However, more and more insurance companies are excluding this type of coverage for all dogs or dogs with certain breeds. Breeds that are often excluded include: Pit Bulls; Rottweilers; Akitas, Chow-Chows, Doberman Pinschers, Perro de Presa Canarios, and Wolf-Dog Hybrids.

If you have any questions about personal injuries resulting from a dog attack, please contact us for a free no obligation consultation.