My son was attacked on the sidewalk in front of our house by a neighbor’s Pit Bull. The animal escaped from a fenced yard. Do we have a case?

Probably. Where attacks occur off the animal owner’s property, most cities have ordinances requiring proper restraint and supervision of domestic animals. If a dog escapes from its owner’s property and attacks someone, the owner is often held strictly liable for the resulting physical and psychological injuries caused by an attack.

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My daughter was bitten by a relative’s Doberman Pinscher. Are owners of “aggressive” breeds of dogs automatically liable for bites?

No. Even though evidence is mounting that dog attacks more frequently involve the more “aggressive” breeds, the law does not consider those breeds to be inherently more dangerous than others. The insurance companies, however, recognize this risk, and generally charge higher premiums to homeowners who harbor certain breeds of dog. Unfortunately, the law has not yet caught up with these statistics, and the same proof of liability is required for a bite inflicted by any dog, regardless of its breed.

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I heard that in Missouri, a dog’s first bite is “free.” In other words, a dog owner is not legally responsible for the first person his dog bites. Is this true?

Partially. Before a dog owner can be held legally responsible for a bite on his own premises, Missouri law requires proof that the dog’s owner knew or should have known that his animal had vicious propensities which created the likelihood of an injury. Attorneys at The Glassman Law Firm, P.C. conduct thorough neighborhood investigations, seek veterinary records and records from local authorities and government agencies before prosecuting these cases. We consult expert trainers regarding the characteristics of various breeds of dog. The attorneys at The Glassman Law Firm, P.C. realize that dog bite injuries can have long term, life-altering consequences, and therefore leave no stone unturned when investigating these serious injuries.

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Please see our page on Dog Bites for more information.

See our video link and read the Lawyer's Weekly "In the News" story of a case recently handled by The Glassman Law Firm, P.C

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