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Liability and damages for dog bites in Colorado

On Behalf of | Jun 2, 2022 | Personal Injury

Owning a dog as a pet can be very exciting and rewarding; however, it comes with many responsibilities. This goes beyond taking them to the vet and feeding, grooming and caring for them. Dog owners in Connecticut and elsewhere are expected to maintain their dogs on their property or on a leash. Additionally, they are expected to protect others from potential dog bites or attacks.

Strict liability

In the state of Connecticut, dog owners are strictly liable for any bites or attacks their dog causes. This meant that following a dog bite, the victim does not need to prove that the dog owner knew that their dog was vicious or that they were negligent.

In other words, a dog owner is considered liable for a dog bite even if their dog has never bitten or attacked anyone or has shown any dangerous propensities. Also, the bite does not need to be the result of negligence, meaning that the owner could face liability even if their conduct didn’t lead to the bite or attack.

Liability and damages

In order to prove liability, a victim must illustrate that they were not trespassing on the property where the bite occurred. Additionally, they must also prove that the bite was not the result of them teasing, abusing or tormenting the dog.

If liability is proven, and the dog owner is liable due to strict liability, damages could be recovered by the victim. By state statute, this amounts to compensation to address any damage caused to the person’s body or property by the dog.

A dog attack is a traumatic event. Even a single bite can impact a victim for the rest of their life. While a victim is likely to suffer physical harm, they may also suffer emotional and mental harm as well. As such, when assessing the harms caused by a dog bite, a legal professional could help you calculate the past, present and future damages when pursuing a personal injury action.