Back and Neck Injuries From Dog Bites

Cape Cod Attorneys Protecting the Rights of Victims

The Cape Cod area is full of dog owners. While most dogs are friendly, even friendly dogs can sometimes behave unpredictably and bite people. People attacked by dogs often suffer harm when trying to flee to safety, such as back and neck injuries from dog bites, which can be painful and costly to treat. If you were hurt in a dog attack, you have the right to pursue damages from the dog’s owner and should speak to a lawyer as soon as possible. At the Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, our dedicated Cape Cod dog bite attorneys have more than one hundred and fifty years of total experience helping parties injured by dog attacks in the pursuit of justice. If we represent you, we will work tirelessly to help you seek a favorable result. Our skilled representation has allowed us to recover several multi-million dollar damages awards for our clients. If you experience back and neck injuries from a dog bite, our firm will help you gain the outcome you deserve.

Liability for Dog Bites Under Massachusetts Law

Massachusetts has what is known as a “dog bite law,” which is a statute that imposes liability on dog owners for harm caused by their dogs. Specifically, it provides that if a dog causes a person to suffer bodily injury, the person who owns or is responsible for the dog may be held strictly liable. Notably, the dog bite law does not limit recoverable damages to those caused by actual bites; instead, any harm a person sustains due to a dog may be considered a compensable injury. For example, if a dog attacks or lunges at a person and the person falls or trips while trying to evade the animal and suffers a neck or back injury as a result, the person can pursue damages from the dog’s owner, even if the dog did not bite the person.

People who experience back and neck injuries from dog bites do not have to show that the dog’s owner acted negligently because the dog bite law is a strict liability statute. This means that the person pursuing damages from the dog’s owner is not required to prove that the owner knew or should have known that the dog was likely to attack someone or that the owner carelessly allowed the dog to roam free or otherwise acted recklessly. Instead, the person merely has to show injuries suffered due to the dog.

There are limited instances in which a dog owner will not be deemed strictly liable for harm caused by a dog, usually because the injured person engaged in inappropriate behavior. In other words, if the person was trespassing or engaging in other tortious conduct at the time of the attack or was teasing or tormenting the dog, the owner may not be found strictly liable. If the person injured is a child, though, it is presumed that the exceptions to strict liability do not apply, and the dog owner has the burden of proving the child was trespassing, committing a tort, or abusing the dog at the time of the attack. Further, even if a dog owner cannot be held strictly liable, the injured person may be able to pursue negligence and other claims against the owner.

Damages Awarded for Back and Neck Injuries From Dog Bites

The dog bite law does not explicitly set forth what compensation is recoverable but merely states that the owner is liable for the damages caused by the dog. The courts interpret this to mean that the injured party can recover the cost of any medical treatment needed for the injuries sustained in the attack or that will be required in the future, out of pocket expenses, and any wages lost due to the injuries. In many cases, a judge or jury will also award the injured party compensation for the trauma, pain, and suffering caused by the attack.

Speak to Assertive Cape Cod Lawyers

Dog attacks can cause a variety of harm that requires extensive treatment. If you were injured in a dog attack, you may be able to recover damages and should consult an attorney. The assertive personal injury attorneys of the Law Offices of John C. Manoog, III, are adept at helping injured parties recover damages, and we can set forth compelling arguments in your favor. We proudly maintain a record of successful outcomes, and our zealous advocacy has allowed us to recover damages awards exceeding one million dollars in many cases. We frequently represent people in dog bite lawsuits on Cape Cod, and we can meet for conferences in Hyannis and Plymouth. You can reach us to set up a free and confidential consultation at (888) 262-6664 or through our form online.