What to Do After a Dog Bite Attack in St. Petersburg

People often underestimate the seriousness of a dog bite attack in St. Petersburg. This is understandable when the bite is a simple nip or nibble, but when a dog inflicts serious injury on a person it is time for legal action to be taken. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a dog bite attack in St. Petersburg, it would be in your best interest to contact a Florida dog bite lawyer to discuss the compensation that should be yours.

Dog Bite Attack in St. Petersburg

The owner of a dog that attacks a person is liable for that person's injuries whenever a dog is running lose or unattended off of the owner's property, or if the bitten person is legally and rightfully on the dog owner's property. In either of these cases, the liability of the owner is easily proven.

That being said, it would seem that the majority of dog bite attacks in St. Petersburg would be quickly and easily litigated. Unfortunately, actual incidents are usually more complicated than this. For instance, more than 77% of dog bites are inflicted by a family dog or by the dog of a family friend. Even worse than this, the majority of those seriously injured by a dog bite attack in St. Petersburg are children.

If your dog or your friend's dog has bitten your child, you may not know how to react. Personal feelings conflict with your rights; your friendships, or your sentiments for your dog, are in direct conflict with the medical bills you will soon be receiving.

Your Options After a Dog Bite Attack in St. Petersburg

The simplest answer in a dog bite case is to look to homeowners insurance to pay the damages; if the owner of the dog has homeowners insurance, that insurance should cover all damages associated with the dog bite.

If the dog owner does not have homeowners insurance, things are a bit more complicated.

Florida law allows for several grounds on which you can gain compensation for suffering after a dog bit attack in St. Petersburg:

• common law liability (also known as "scienter");
• the dog bite statute (which declares the dog owner liable unless the bite was directly caused by the negligence of the victim);
• negligence;
• negligence per se; and
• intentional injury.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a dog bite attack in St. Petersburg, you should contact a Florida dog bite lawyer to find out how you can gain the most compensation with the least hassle.

Contacting a Florida Dog Bite Lawyer

If you have been attacked by dog, it would be in your best interest to contact a Florida dog bite lawyer. Filing a personal injury claim as the result of a Florida dog bite can be complex. In cases such as these, it's best that you have an experienced and trustworthy St. Petersburg, Florida, dog bite lawyer on your side.

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