Medical Bills After Dog Bite Injury: Who Should Pay For It?

Medical Bills After Dog Bite Injury: Who Should Pay For It?

Dog bites lead to severe injuries. Even minor incidents may lead to medical bills running into hundreds of thousands.  Most victims are under the false impression that they can’t do much to get compensation for their injuries in case of a dog bite.

We can help you obtain compensation for injuries and pain suffered due to dog bites in Florida. Under Florida law, a victim of a dog bite can get compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Lost income
• Property damage

Dog Owner’s Liability for Dog Bites Under Florida Law

Florida’s Dog Bite Statute stipulates that a dog owner is liable for any injury caused by his/her dog to another person:

• Regardless of the viciousness of the dog or the owners’ knowledge of such viciousness.
• If the person was in a public place or at a private place lawfully when the incident occurred.

A person needs to be on property lawfully as stated above; otherwise, the owner may claim that the person was trespassing and may not be liable for the dog bite in such circumstance.

Strict Liability

In Florida, there is no requirement to prove that the dog bite happened due to the negligence of the dog owner.  This is known as the strict liability clause. Florida is one of the few strict liability states where there is no need to prove the owner’s negligence to claim compensation for a dog bite.

Comparative Negligence in Cases of Dog Bite

Florida follows what is known as comparative negligence in cases concerning personal injuries and dog bites.  This means that the awarded sum will be reduced proportionally if the victim also shared some blame for the injury.

If a dog bite lawsuit in Florida awards a sum of $100,000 to the victim and the jury assigns the victim 30% blame for the injury, then the amount will be reduced by $30,000 or 30% of the total sum awarded.  One needs to keep this in mind when filing a dog bite lawsuit against a dog owner in Florida.

Who Pays the Medical Bills for a Dog Bite?

You can get paid for medical bills after a dog bite from a homeowner’s insurance if the owner of the dog has one.  The second-best option is to check if your health insurance policy can be of any use in covering medical bills.

Florida Dog Bite Attorney

Due to the complex statutes and laws involved in cases of a dog bite in Florida, it’s always a good idea to hire a seasoned dog bite attorney who has prior experience of such claims.

You can contact us for a free consultation. Our experienced lawyers who have helped numerous clients get compensation for medical bills after a dog bite are just a call way. Learn about our no win no fee promise, at (727) 498-8771.