Special Rules Regarding Children in Florida Dog Bite Claims

You're within your legal rights to file an injury claim when your child has been attacked or bitten by a dog in Florida. A dog bite claim for a young child's dog bite injuries is generally successful because the children are exempt from the comparative negligence rule. You'll want to speak to a St. Petersburg dog bite lawyer to discuss your case in detail.

In Florida, if a dog owner can prove that the victim actually provoked the dog and thereby caused the attack, they may not be held completely liable for the injuries. However, young children are exempt from this rule. 

The courts are aware that children under age 6 may not be able to fully understand or avoid the danger, and therefore can't be considered as having acted negligently. For older children, the jury decides on a case-by-case basis whether the child knew and could've avoided the danger.

It's also important to note that if the jury finds that the parents failed to adequately supervise the child (which theoretically could've prevented the dog bite injuries), the amount of compensation for the Florida dog bite claim could be reduced and apportion legal fault to them, even if they're not named as defendants in the lawsuit.

There's a lot of fine print to Florida negligence laws in dog bite claims, especially regarding children, and the best thing to do is to speak to an attorney, such as a St. Petersburg dog bite lawyer, to discuss your legal options. 

Contacting a St. Petersburg Dog Bite Lawyer

There are special rules for young children regarding Florida dog bite claims. Filing a personal injury claim as the result of a dog bite attack can be complex. In cases such as these, it's best that you have an experienced and trustworthy St. Petersburg injury attorney on your side.

To consult with a St. Petersburg injury attorney about your Florida personal injury claim, contact the Law Offices of William K. Saron at 727-345-4566 or 866-836-4947.