Personal Injury

In Maryland the dog bite laws were significantly overhauled to curb vicious dog attacks. The new laws, an owner of a dog that is “running at large” (off the leash) when it attacks someone can be held “strictly liable” for all injuries and other damages stemming from the dog’s aggressive behavior. In most other situations, when a dog bites or attacks someone in Maryland, it creates a “rebuttable presumption that the owner knew or should have known that the dog had vicious or dangerous propensities.” Thus, it puts the burden on the dog owner to prove that he/she/they did not have that knowledge in order to avoid liability. This law is found in Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Code Annotated Section 3-1901. In addition to strict liability, the general rules of negligence still apply to dog owners, meaning anytime a dog owner’s lack of reasonable care caused the dog to bite, attack or otherwise cause injuries or damage.

Dogs of any size can cause serious injuries when they bite or attack a human. In Maryland, these attacks happen every day with over 800,000 happening in the US that require medical care annually.

Sadly, most dog bites are preventable but happen anyway due the pet owners own negligence. Typically dogs that attack humans have a history of violent attacks and if you were injured by a dog or other animal, you may be entitled to a personal injury claim.

Most of the time these cases are covered by the homeowner’s insurance policy.

This is where it can get tricky. Sometimes insurance companies refuse to properly compensate you for your medical bills, lost work, as well as pain and suffering. This is where an experienced Maryland Dog Bite attorney can help you get the maximum settlement.

If you are interested in learning how Nowicki & Associates can help you, contact our office to arrange a consultation. Call us at 410-879-0026 or email Tyler J. Nowicki, Esq. directly at Tnowicki@jwnlaw.com. All consultations are free and we’ll take the time to answer each and every question.