Dog Bite in a Store – Can I Sue?

In general, dogs are not allowed to enter stores and other properties (unless it’s a pet store, for instance). Stores, including shopping centers, malls, and other buildings like office buildings, schools, hospitals, and airports, for instance, typically do not allow dogs to enter their premises; however, many dog owners disregard these restrictions and bring their dogs in regardless – similarly, many property owners simply do not enforce their own rules.

The problem arises when a dog that is not supposed to be in the property in the first-place bites someone – who is liable? Who is responsible for the harm resulting from a dog bite incident? Typically, dog owners are liable when their dog bites another party, but in some cases, the property owner could be liable as well (given that the dog bite incident occurred on their premises).

If you or a member of your family suffered a dog bite incident, you should explore the legal options available to you as soon as possible. You might have grounds to file a lawsuit. If you are interested in learning more about liability for dog bite incidents and your right to file a lawsuit, do not hesitate to contact our experts as soon as possible.

Here at Normandie Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to win. Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm with many years of experience handling all sorts of injury claims, including dog bite injury claims. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and help you understand your right to sue. If you are ready to speak with the experts at our law firm, do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience.

Liability for Dog Bite Incidents in Stores and Other Locations

Who is liable for a dog bite in a store, shopping center, mall, office building, school, hospital, or airport? In general, liability for dog bite incidents falls onto the dog owner. However, things are different when the incident occurs on the premises of a store, office building, school, etc.; that is, liability can fall onto the property owner.

Liability can be based on the concept of premise liability. Based on premise liability, property owners (and store owners, property managers, etc.) have a duty of care towards their guests. They have a duty to keep their premises completely safe for their guests. This means that they must routinely inspect their premises to be able to identify and address any hazards present. This includes the risk presented by dogs. If dogs are not allowed on the premises, then the property owner should ensure that there are no dogs on the premises. If dogs are allowed on the premises, then property owners should ensure that the dogs properly restrained/leashed, for instance.

Regardless, if the property owner fails to keep the entire premises free of hazards, then the property owner could be liable.

• Does the building owner have liability to pay for my injuries?
• Does the property owner or manager have any liability to pay for my damages?
• Does the manager have responsibility to cover my medical bills?
• Will the insurance carrier of the store pick up my claim?

The answer to all these questions is the same – yes. Based on the details surrounding the incident and the harm that you suffered, the building owner, property owner, manager, etc. could have some liability and their insurance carrier is likely to pick up your claim. For more information about liability for your dog bite incident and your right to file a lawsuit, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our firm immediately.

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Who Can You Sue?

The answer to this question depends on the details surrounding your dog bite incident. For instance, if the dog bite incident occurred on the premises of a store, shopping center, mall, or office building, the property owner would be liable – so you could sue the property owner. If the incident occurred in a government office building, a school, or even a hospital (in some cases), then the city would be liable – so you would file a government claim against the city. Regardless, you could file a lawsuit for the harm resulting from your dog bite incident.

Your Right to Recover Compensation

Based on the details surrounding your injury claim, you could sue and potentially recover monetary compensation. How much compensation could you be eligible to recover? What type of compensation could you be eligible to recovery? You could recover compensation for some of the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Property damage
• Punitive damages
• Legal fees

When you allow our experts to handle your injury claim, you can be certain that our lawyers will fight for your right to recover the highest payout possible. Whether our experts have to negotiate a settlement or take your claim to trial, you can trust that you will be fairly compensated for the harm that you suffered. For more information about the type and amount of compensation that you could be eligible to receive, do not hesitate to contact the experts at our law firm immediately.

What Should You Do?

After suffering a dog bite incident at a store or any other property, there are a number of things that you should do to prepare to file your injury claim. Consider the following recommendations:

• Take photos of your dog bite wound
• Take photos of the entire scene of the incident
• Seek medical care as soon as possible
• File an incident report with the property owner
• Speak to witnesses and collect their contact information
• Take note of surveillance cameras that might have captured the incident
• Gather all relevant medical records
• Gather records of lost wages
• Seek legal assistance with a dog bite incident lawyer as soon as possible

File Your Dog Bite Injury Claim On Time

Although you might have the right to sue, it is important that you act promptly to ensure that you preserve your right to sue. If you fail to file your claim within the statute of limitations, you could lose your right to sue. In general, injury claims are subject to a two-year deadline, so you could have up to two-years to file your dog bite injury claim. However, it is possible for exceptions to apply. For more information about the total length of time that you have to file your injury claim, do not hesitate to contact our experts immediately.

Contact Us Today

If you suffered a dog bite incident at a store, mall, office building, school, hospital, or any other property, you might have grounds to sue the property owner – your incident might be completely covered by the property’s insurance coverage. For more information about your right to sue, do not hesitate to contact our experts at your earliest convenience. Here at Normandie Law Firm, our experts are completely dedicated to fighting for the rights of our clients and getting them the best payout available for their claims. If you would like to discuss your claim with our experts, contact us immediately.

We offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to pursue your dog bite injury claim.

We offer a Zero-Fee guarantee, meaning that our lawyers will not be required to pay upfront legal fees. In addition, our law firm is based on contingency, so our clients will not be required to pay anything until after reaching a positive claim outcome. If you don’t win, you won’t pay anything.

If you are ready to discuss your dog bite injury claim with the experts at our law firm, contact us today.

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