Being the victim of a dog bite can be an upsetting and traumatic experience. What’s more, it is very common to be injured by the dog of a friend or a member of your community, so you may feel confused about what you should do about the situation, especially when you have had to pay for medical costs as a result.
In situations such as these, it is important to understand the rights that you have as a victim of violence and aggression brought about by a dog, and the responsibilities the dog owner had in regard to keeping you safe.
Where the law stands in Ohio
In Ohio, the law says that the dog owner is always responsible if the behavior of the dog was the key reason for the attack. This stands true as long as you, as the dog bite victim, were not attempting to commit, or were committing a crime when the incident occurred. It must also be proven that you, as victim, of the dog bite were not provoking, teasing or abusing the dog in any way.
Therefore, you have the right to make a claim as long as you were an innocent bystander who was injured by a dog. This will stand true even if the dog owner took precautions to prevent the attack such as keeping the dog on a leash.
If you have been injured by a dog, its is likely that you have suffered emotional stress as well as medical bills and physical pain. Therefore it is important that you take action in recouping the damages associated with your dog bite.
Source: FindLaw, “Dog Bite Laws State by State,” accessed Dec. 15, 2017