Dog Bite

Personal Injury

Dog Bite

What The Virginia Dog Bite Rule “One Bite” Means For You

According to the American Humane Association, nearly 5 million people are bitten by dogs each year throughout the United States. Almost 20 percent of these attacks require immediate medical attention and, unfortunately, children under the age of 12 are the most common victims.

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Virginia’s Dog Bite Injury Law: The”One Bite Rule”

In Virginia, an owner of a dog may be held liable for injuries if he knew or should have known that his animal might cause injury to others. For example, if the dog has had a history of biting or exhibiting aggressive behavior the owner has a duty to use ordinary care to prevent injury. In those jurisdictions that have a leash law the owner may be liable for failure to secure his animal even if the animal has not previously bitten or exhibited aggressive behavior. However absent a leash law, Virginia adheres to the “one bite rule.” That means that an owner of a dog cannot be held liable unless the victim can prove that the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s propensity for being aggressive or attacking humans. In other words the dog is allowed one free bite. This makes dog bite cases tricky as the victim has the burden of proving that the animal’s owner failed to take necessary steps to prevent an attack from happening.

Dog bites can result in severe physical and emotional scarring. Therefore it is extremely important to have an experienced Virginia dog bite lawyer. Our firm will take the time to investigate every aspect of your claim as our goal is to obtain full and fair compensation for you.

Compensation for Virginia Dog Bite Claims:

  • 1

    Payment for past and future medical expenses

  • 2

    Payment for past and future lost wages

  • 3

    Payment for pain, suffering and inconvenience

  • 4

    Payment for scarring or disfigurement