Mooresville Dog Bite Lawyer
Skilled Dog Bite Attorney In Mooresville, NC
Dogs are popular pets in Mooresville and throughout North Carolina, but when they attack unexpectedly, they can cause devastating harm. If you or a loved one recently suffered injuries in a dog attack, you should speak with a Mooresville dog bite lawyer as quickly as possible. The team at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC, can help you make sense of your legal options and pursue compensation for your damages.
Representing Dog Bite Victims in Mooresville, NC
The attorneys at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC, have extensive experience helping injured clients in Mooresville and surrounding areas of North Carolina with all types of personal injury cases. If someone else’s dog recently bit you or a loved one, it may form grounds for a personal injury case. However, North Carolina’s dog bite statutes can be confusing, so it’s vital to have legal counsel you trust if you intend to pursue accountability and compensation.
In North Carolina, the owner or keeper of a dog is liable when their dog bites someone under several circumstances. Liability exists if the owner or keeper knew or should have known of the dog’s vicious or dangerous propensities. Evidence of a dog’s dangerous propensities can be established by evidence of past attacks of biting someone or aggressive behavior in trying to bite someone, or aggressive behavior that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that failure to restrain the dog could lead to injury of someone. Knowledge of one prior bite or trying to bite a human is evidence of vicious propensities. If a dog has displayed aggressive tendencies and/or has attacked anyone in the past, the owner must recognize the dog as potentially dangerous and take appropriate steps to prevent the dog from harming anyone.
Additionally, North Carolina has a statutory law, known as the North Carolina’s Dangerous Dog Act, that provides strict liability of an owner or keeper for injuries caused by a “dangerous dog” upon a person, property, or another animal. A “dangerous dog” is defined as one that has killed or seriously injury a person without provocation, has been determined to be “potentially dangerous” by an animal control agency, or is kept or trained primarily for dog fighting.
Additionally, negligence can be found as a matter of law, negligence per se, if the owner violates a statute or ordinance for containment and protection of the public, such as failing to leash or confine a dog as required by law.
Recovering Compensation for a Dog Bite in Mooresville
If you are able to prove that a dog owner is liable for the injury you suffered, it is possible to recover various forms of compensation. Your Mooresville dog bite lawyer at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC, can help you claim compensation for:
- Your medical expenses. This includes both immediate medical treatment costs following the incident as well as any long-term medical costs if you suffered a serious injury that required ongoing treatment.
- Lost wages. If you cannot work because of your injury, the defendant would be responsible for all the income you cannot earn during your recovery period. If you are permanently disabled and cannot return to work, you may be able to claim compensation for lost earning power as well.
- Pain and suffering. North Carolina law allows a personal injury plaintiff to seek compensation for the physical pain and psychological distress suffered because of the defendant’s actions.
- Scarring and disfigurement and permanent injury. North Carolina law allows recovery for scarring and disfigurement caused from the dog bite as well as any permanent loss of use of a body part.
- Any property damage the dog caused, such as torn clothing or any property damaged during the attack.
Any dog attack has the potential to be a painful, damaging, and traumatic experience. If you or a loved one is reeling in the aftermath of such an incident, the attorneys at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC, can help you explore the full scope of your legal options. You have a limited time to build and file your personal injury case, so it is crucial that you reach out to trustworthy legal counsel at your first opportunity following a dog attack in Mooresville.
FAQs
What should I do after a dog bite incident?
Call 911 to contact the local police to report the incident, and they will dispatch an animal control officer to investigate. It is important to document who the owner or keeper of the dog was, as well as to research whether the dog was up to date on its rabies vaccinations.
Why Should I Hire a Mooresville Dog Bite Lawyer?
You should hire a Mooresville dog bite lawyer to increase your chance of success with your personal injury case. Even if liability for the injury seems straightforward, there is always a chance for unexpected complications to arise that you will not know how to resolve on your own. You’re more likely to reach a positive outcome for your case and more likely to maximize your total compensation with an experienced attorney’s help.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Dog Bite in Mooresville?
The amount of compensation you can claim for a dog bite in Mooresville will depend on the scope and severity of the damages you suffered. It may be possible for you to hold the defendant accountable for the cost of any medical care you must have to recover, as well as the income you cannot earn while you recover. You may also have the right to claim compensation for pain and suffering, and your attorney can help maximize this aspect of your recovery.
How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Dog Bite Case?
The time required to resolve a dog bite case will depend on several factors. If you hire legal counsel you trust at your first opportunity, your legal team can begin building your case right away and ensure you meet all applicable deadlines. It can take anywhere from several weeks to several months or even longer than a year to resolve some personal injury cases in North Carolina.
What Happens to the Dog After It Bites Someone in Mooresville?
After a dog bites someone in Mooresville, it must be quarantined to evaluate it for health and safety risks. Primarily, the quarantine serves to ensure the dog does not have rabies. If the quarantine period concludes and the dog is determined to be free from rabies, it is usually returned to the owner. However, if the dog does have rabies or other serious infectious diseases, or if it is determined to be unreasonably dangerous, the court may order it to be euthanized.
What Are Defenses in a Dog Bite Case in Mooresville?
The most common defenses in dog bite cases in Mooresville are provocation and trespassing. A dog owner may not be held liable for the damage their pet causes if the dog attacked because they felt threatened. Additionally, an intruder or trespasser on private property would not have grounds for legal recourse if they were bitten by the property owner’s dog.
Speak With An Attorney Who Can Protect Your Rights
Navigating any dog bite case in Mooresville can be difficult without an attorney’s help. The team at Grimes Yeoman, PLLC, can help you understand your legal options following any kind of dog attack and help you recover compensation for your damages. If you are ready to speak with a Mooresville dog bite lawyer about your case, contact us today and schedule a free consultation with our team.
Trusted Mooresville Dog Bite Lawyer Reviews
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