Fairfield County Dog Bite Injuries Attorney

Immediately following a serious injury or attack, you will need to speak with a qualified dog bite lawyer in New Canaan, Connecticut who can protect your rights, advocate for your interests, and demand justice for your damages. Choosing our firm means you can work with a compassionate team of professionals who are all committed to helping you through every stage of your case.

Keep Animal Owners Responsible: Call (203) 966-6600 to Take Legal Action.

Animals of all types can be powerful and unpredictable and can cause serious injuries under the wrong circumstances. For this reason, Connecticut places a high burden of care upon those who keep domesticated animals and hold them strictly liable, under most circumstances, for the damage they cause.

Despite these strict Connecticut dog laws, defenses are available to dog owners, and liability for a bite or attack is not a foregone conclusion. Moreover, proving the full extent of a dog bite injury can be challenging for plaintiffs.

With our ample experience handling dog bite and animal attack cases, injured victims and their families can count on a New Canaan personal injury lawyer from Brickley Law to safeguard their interests and obtain fair compensation for their injuries.

How Connecticut Dog Laws Work

Connecticut dog laws make owners and keepers of dogs strictly liable for injuries they cause, subject to some exceptions. This means that a New Canaan personal injury attorney need not show that an owner or keeper was actually negligent in keeping the animal but must only show that none of the exceptions apply.

These exceptions include:

• Cases where the victim was trespassing or committing some other tortious act at the time of the incident (although a presumption against this exists if the victim is under 7 years of age)
• Incidents where the victim instigated the attack by abusing, teasing or tormenting the animal

Moreover, liability under Connecticut dog laws includes injuries caused by an attack and may extend to more indirect circumstances such as when a dog causes a car accident by running in front of a car or indirectly injures an adult or child in a dog park.

What Should I Do After a Dog Bite or Attack

If you are bitten or attacked by a dog you should:

Seek medical treatment immediately. A dog bite or attack is serious.

Try and identify the dog that bit or attacked you. Try and remember the breed, color and size of the dog. If the dog has a collar try and remember the color. If you are with someone, have them take a photograph of the dog. DO NOT APPROACH THE DOG UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

Report the bite or attack to the police department and animal control. Get copies of your reports.

Take photographs of your injuries following the attack or bite and continue to record the progression of your injuries over time. Often a dog attack or bite results in scarring which can be claimed as damages if you decide to pursue a legal action.

Avoid giving information to an insurance company before you have a chance to speak to an attorney.

Dog Bite Statistics

According to a study cited on DogsBite.org, there where 39 fatal dog attacks in the United States in 2017.  Of those fatalities, 38% of the victims were 8 years and younger and 62% were aged 21 years and older.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an estimated 4.7 million dog bites in the United States in 1994 and approximately 800,000 people sought medical attention as a result of those dog bites.

Dog Bite Injuries

Possible injuries suffered by people from dog bites or attacks include: Rabies, infections, psychological injury and scarring.

Right to recover damages

 An experienced lawyer will seek to recover compensation for your injuries which may include medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical treatment and reconstructive surgery. A lawyer can also seek to recover for medical treatment for your dog if they were also a victim in the dog attack.

Call to Discuss your Dog Bite case with a New Canaan lawyer

At Brickley Law we understand the intricacies of Connecticut dog laws. Our firm offers ample free parking and contingency fees for personal injury cases. If you think you may have a dog bite case, call us today at (203) 966-6600 or contact us online.

Past Verdicts & Settlements