Understanding Alabama’s Dog Bite Laws
In the state of Alabama, there are several different aspects of the law that could potentially affect your dog bite case. It is always advisable to get the legal guidance of a dog bite injury attorney who knows the Alabama dog bite law.
Liability – Who is Legally Responsible for a Dog Bite?
According to Alabama Code §3-6-1, dog owners can be held liable for providing damages if their pet has bitten or seriously injured another person. Unlike many other states, however, the law does not hold pet owners “strictly liable” – meaning that the attack must have taken place under a specific set of circumstances for the victim to be able to pursue compensation. First, it must be proven that the dog had acted out violently without provocation. If it is discovered that the victim had goaded or irritated the animal before they were subsequently injured, their claim may be denied for that reason alone.
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I would highly recommend Cory Driggers. He kept me informed all during my case. I never felt left in the dark. He was always straightforward with me. I can’t express how impressed I was with him.
Attorney Driggers and his team did a wonderful job with my case. They were professional and pleasant. They were patient with me and answered all my questions. They addressed all my concerns from the first conversation to the last. I would highly recommend him to anyone needing an attorney.
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Mr.Driggers is a wonderful Lawyer that knows the law, he helped me when I had no idea in my situation where to start and what to do, he worked with me hands on and got the best results for me in my case. It was a privilege to get to know him as my lawyer and a friend. If you need legal representation call him you will be satisfied.
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Can my landlord be held responsible?
If you have suffered dog bite injuries after being attacked by a neighbor’s pet, you may have grounds to pursue compensation from the landlord who is responsible for overseeing the property. Since it would be their responsibility to maintain a reasonably safe environment for their tenants, they must take the appropriate measures to protect residents from the violent actions of a dangerous pet. This is only applicable if the attack took place in an area that is shared by other tenants, however, as a landlord can only be held accountable for maintaining the public areas of the property. Similarly, it must be proven that they were notified and/or made aware of the dangerous condition before the incident took place.
Location – Does it Matter Where the Dog Bite Occurred?
The attack must have taken place on either public property or the pet owner’s property – the only exception being that the dog had chased the victim off of the owner’s property. In other cases, the victim must only need to prove that the owner had previous knowledge of, or had reason to know of, their dog’s dangerous propensities. If, for example, they had expressed concern about their pet’s violent tendencies or they had been aware of the fact that the dog had previously attacked another person, they could be held responsible solely on these grounds.
Notable Verdicts & Settlements
Breed – Does the Breed of the Dog Make a Difference?
The fact that the attacking dog was a breed of pitbull could be used as a basis of liability. This theory was tested in the case, Edgar v. Riley, 725 So. 2d 982 (Ala. Civ. App. 1998), as the dog owners were deemed to be aware of their pet’s propensity to attack without provocation – even though it had never acted out violently in the past – and were subsequently held accountable for providing the victim with damages. To learn more about the dog bite laws in Alabama, call our Dothan dog bite lawyers at the firm today. We’re happy to answer your questions.
The Rabid Dog Statute in Dothan, AL
Under Alabama law, a pet owner may be liable for twice the amount of damages if they were aware of the fact that their dog had rabies before it attacked another person. Known as the “rabid dog statute,” this area of the law was implemented to compensate victims for the additional harm that they have suffered. Rabies is a viral disease that can cause serious damage to the central nervous system – including the brain – if it is left untreated. Although the victim can seek treatment to combat the disease before it becomes fatal, there is only a small window of time in which medication would be effective. By allowing the victim to recover twice the amount of compensation, however, they will be able to more comfortably afford the cost of any necessary medical treatment.
Speak To Our Alabama Dog Bite Injury Attorney
If you have been attacked by someone else’s pet in Dothan, Alabama, you should waste no time in talking to an Alabama dog bite injury lawyer. Morris, Andrews, Talmadge & Driggers, LLC serves clients in Dothan and the surrounding areas. We have extensive experience in representing difficult dog bite and premises liability cases, so we encourage you to find out what we can do for you.
Contact the firm today at (844) 654-6228 for your free initial consultation!
