Who is liable if multiple dogs are involved in an attack?

Dogs are lovable animals that can be great pets to have. They are easily able to adapt to domestic life. People can become very fond of their dogs. They consider them to be companions. Dogs are even used in law enforcement. They have proven to be receptive to training and adapt to learned behaviors. Since they pick up on behavior that their owners teach them, owners should not teach or support aggressive behavior. This can make a dog dangerous to another individual. The dog could possibly cause harm to them if it were to bite or attack them. If a dog is involved in an attack, the owner can be held liable. When multiple dogs are involved in a dog attack on an individual, this can become more complicated. The dog owners can be jointly and separately held responsible for the injuries that happened as a result of the accident and the damages that they may be entitled to pay.

When is a dog owner be liable?

Dog owners are the people who train their dogs. Their pets can pick up on their routines. Dogs get into a routine with their owners on when to eat and when to go for a walk. They can just as easily get into a routine of bad behavior. If an owner encourages aggressive behavior, the dog can harm someone. For these situations, a dog owner can be held responsible for the attack that occurred. If the injured party somehow antagonized the dog, they may not be able to hold the owner responsible for the attack. Their behavior could have caused the dog to act in that way out of fear of the individual. For these situations, the owner may not have to pay damages to the injured party. If the injured person was trespassing on the owner’s property, they may not be able to seek liability on the owner’s behalf. When a dog owner is held responsible for a dog attack, they can be required to pay damages to the injured party that account for their injuries.

If you are in this situation, it is important to discuss this situation with an attorney. The attorneys at Timian & Fawcett, LLC provide effective legal services to clients in Prince George’s County, Washington, D.C. and all of Maryland. Our firm is dedicated to our clients. If you need our help, we are ready to serve. Contact Timian & Fawcett, LLC.