Eastern NC Dog Bite Lawyers
The majority of dogs are docile family pets. They offer companionship and security, and often they are treated as a member of the family. So it is easy to forget that, despite centuries of domestication, dogs are powerful predators with territorial instincts. Even small dogs have sharp teeth and claws and can inflict serious injuries when they bite or attack. In some cases, larger dogs have been known to kill people.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4.7 million people -- or 2 percent of the U.S. population -- are bitten by dogs each year. Many of those victims are children who have not yet learned to interpret the warning signals that an attack is imminent.
The law offices of Teague & Glover have years of experience in working with victims of dog bites. If you or someone you care about has been bitten by someone else's dog, call our dog bite attorneys today at 888-593-3940 or contact us online. We can advise you about your potential personal injury claim. Our dog bite injury lawyers have been helping personal injury victims in northeastern North Carolina obtain justice since 1981, including Elizabeth City, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Corolla, Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Hertford, Edenton, Camden, Currituck County and all of the Outer Banks.
Dog owners assume responsibility for ensuring that their animals do not cause injury or harm to others. When owners fail to live up to their responsibility and a dog bites or attacks someone, the victim may be entitled to receive damages for his or her injuries. Dog bite laws in North Carolina are not especially favorable to the victims, and that's why it's extremely important that you contact the dog bite lawyers of Teague & Glover for help with your case.
Typically, a dog owner is held liable for injuries caused by a dog attack if he or she knows a dog has a tendency to bite. The most obvious warning sign, of course, is a previous bite. However, biting is not the sole basis for determining a propensity for biting. A court may rule that an established pattern of growling, snapping, fighting with other dogs or barking menacingly were sufficient warning that a dog might bite.
The dog owner may also be liable under the state's dog-bite statutes. North Carolina law allows a dog to be declared dangerous after it has killed or severely injured a person or other animal, making the owner liable for future attacks. But that is of little consolation to the person who is the victim of the dog's first bite or attack.
There are circumstances that completely negate dog owner liability. These circumstances may include an individual who was trespassing or breaking the law, who provoked the dog or who knowingly put himself at risk of being bitten. In some cases, North Carolina's rule of contributory negligence may also apply, limiting the liability of a dog owner where the actions of the injured party contributed to his or her dog bite.
In one area of dog bite law, North Carolina is among the most progressive states. North Carolina case law for years was clear that dog owners could be held liable once they knew a particular dog had vicious tendencies. But a 2001 N.C. Appeals Court opinion, Hill v. Williams, ruled that dog owners could be held liable under a negligence theory if they knew, or should have known, about a particular breed's vicious propensities. The dog in the Hill case was a Rottweiler, a type of dog that has been linked to more fatal attacks than any other breed.
NC laws do not prevent cities and municipalities from adopting rules and regulations on dog ownership and control, and there are dozens of local ordinances. Those rules may provide other avenues for dog bite victims to recover fair compensation for their injuries.
The Currituck dog bite attorneys of Teague & Glover have years of experience in working with victims of dog bites. If you have been bitten by a dog belonging to another individual, the best way to protect your rights is to seek the advice of a qualified Elizabeth City personal injury lawyer as soon after the bite as possible. The Elizabeth City dog bite lawyers of Teague & Glover are ready and able to assist you. Our attorney, Danny Glover, Jr., was recently elected as the Chair of the AutoTorts Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and has for years served on the Board of Governors and other various boards and committees of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice.
Contact us today by calling 888-593-3940 or contact us online.
