In Ontario, the law is clear that a dog owner is liable for damages resulting from a dog bite or attack. Dog bites can cause serious injuries, including disfigurement, abrasions, sprains and strains, nerve damage, lacerations, puncture wounds, lost digits, tissue loss, cuts and gashes, infections such as rabies, emotional distress, social embarrassment from scarring, fractured bones, crush injuries, and psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our Hamilton dog attack lawyers have seen the devastation these things can cause, and we’re here to help you and your family recover the compensation you’re owed.
The horrors of a dog attack extend far beyond the immediate physical trauma. Victims, particularly children, often suffer from grievous injuries, including deep bite marks, torn flesh, and, in severe cases, disfigurement. These physical injuries can necessitate extensive medical treatment, including multiple rounds of plastic surgery, leaving lasting scars both visible and invisible.
However, the psychological aftermath often has the most profound impact. The trauma of an attack can instill a deep-rooted fear of animals, leading to anxiety and avoidance behaviours. This fear can permeate daily life, making even a simple walk in the park a source of anxiety.
Children, with their formative minds, are especially vulnerable. They may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, enduring nightmares, flashbacks, and an overwhelming sense of fear that can hinder their social development and affect their overall well-being.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a dog attack, call us today. Our Hamilton dog bite lawyers have been representing dog attack victims across Ontario since 2003. We are prepared to help you recover the compensation and justice you deserve.
Working with a Hamilton dog bite lawyer from Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers can enable you to recover fair and total compensation for all the damages you suffered due to a dog’s unwarranted aggression. Our Hamilton dog attack lawyers have extensive experience handling these cases, meaning we can help you collect the evidence necessary to present a strong and compelling case.
Every dog is capable of inflicting serious injury, especially on children. Most dogs will never bite anyone. However, when a dog acts aggressively, it is most commonly caused by domination, territorial, protection of valuables, fear, maternal, redirected, and pain-induced aggression. Even the kindest, gentlest dogs can act out if provoked or aggravated.
Unfortunately, children often do not understand how to behave around dogs, which can result in an attack. This only highlights the importance of safety and education concerning dogs and young children.
If you are the victim of a dog bite that left you with serious injuries, the dog owner can be held responsible for such things as medical bills (cosmetic, physio and psychological services), lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The law in Ontario is one of strict liability. This means that the animal’s owner (a term that includes a person who possesses or harbours the dog) is liable for damages from a dog’s bite or attack on another person or domestic animal.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite or dog attack, we can help. Our Hamilton dog attack lawyers have the knowledge and experience to help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Our experienced Hamilton dog bite lawyers pursue a settlement on your behalf that addresses your current and existing losses and any losses that may occur in the future. This includes cosmetic surgery to repair scars or disfigurement. If a settlement cannot be reached in your dog attack case, our Hamiton dog bite lawyers advocate for you in court to pursue a judgment in your favour.
In Ontario, the Dog Owners’ Liability Act is the law that governs who will be responsible when a dog bites someone. Ontario places strict liability on the owners of dogs that attack other people or animals. The owner of a dog will be found “strictly liable” for the injuries caused by his or her dog on others.
The law does not permit a dog owner to dispute who was at fault or whether the dog has a tendency to bite. Ultimately, the dog owner is automatically financially responsible for covering your damages. In other words, under Ontario dog bite law, a dog that bites is the absolute responsibility of its owner. This concept is called strict liability under dog bite law in Ontario.
A property owner can also be responsible for a dog bite or attack in Ontario under the Occupiers’ Liability Act. The Act mandates that anyone who owns or occupies a premises in Ontario needs to reasonably protect their visitors from foreseeable harm.
Anyone who owns or occupies a premise in Ontario, whether a farm, a residential home or any establishment – owes a duty of care to ensure that anyone who steps foot on their property is safeguarded against danger and defects on the property.
This includes vicious dogs with a propensity to bite and attack. Even well-behaved dogs should be handled appropriately or contained in a reasonable effort to prevent attacks.
A dog owner must exercise reasonable precautions to prevent the dog from biting or attacking a person or domestic animal or behaving in a manner that poses a menace to the safety of persons or domestic animals. Failure to do so is an offence and exposes the owner to civil damages, regardless of their dog’s typical nature or behaviour.
Absolutely. A dog’s owner is liable for damages resulting from a dog’s bite or attack on another person or domestic animal. Liability does not depend on knowledge of the dog’s propensity, fault, or negligence on the part of the owner. Our Hamilton dog bite lawyers have seen a wide variety of dog attacks, and the dog’s owner is always held liable.
A dog “owner” is someone who possesses or harbours the dog. If the owner is a minor, the person responsible for custody of the minor is also an owner.
“Harbouring” requires exercising some degree of care and control over the dog, not merely allowing it to be in the home with the owner. If there is more than one dog owner, they are jointly and severally liable for the damage their dog caused you.
If the damage is caused by being bitten or attacked by a dog on the owner’s premises, the owner’s liability is determined under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act, not the Occupiers’ Liability Act.
If a person is on the premises with the intention of committing or is in the act of committing a criminal act and incurs damage caused by being bitten or attacked by a dog, the owner is not liable. The only exception to this is if the keeping of the dog on the premises was unreasonable for the purpose of protecting persons or property.
If necessary for the protection of the public, the court may order that a dog that has bitten or attacked be destroyed in a specified manner. Alternatively, they may order the dog’s owner to take specified measures to more effectively control the dog or for public safety. The final order made by the Court will depend on the circumstance of the bite or attack.
Some measures that may be ordered include confining the dog to its owner’s property, restraining it with a leash or muzzle, or posting warning signs. In addition to taking such measures, the owner must ensure that the dog is neutered or spayed within 30 days of making the order or within the time period specified by the court.
If a dog whose destruction has been ordered is not taken into custody immediately, the owner must restrain it using a leash, muzzle and other means as the court may order until it is taken into custody.
Yes, a court may make an order prohibiting the dog’s owner from owning another dog for a specified period of time. This will depend on the circumstances and what part the dog’s owner played in the attack happening.
If you have been bitten by a dog, you may be entitled to compensation. The legal landscape surrounding compensation and lawsuits can be confusing. Our Hamilton dog attack lawyers are happy to clarify the laws and advise you of your rights.
You may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of amenities, loss of past income, lost future income, out-of-pocket expenses, health care expenses for psychological treatment, plastic surgery and physical rehab and the loss of ability to take care of your home, both indoor and out.
It is important to note that each dog bite case is decided on its facts. Compensation is calculated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the physical and psychological damage that the victim suffered.
Our Hamilton dog bite attack lawyers have seen victims of dog bite attacks suffer injuries such as:
Facial dog attack injuries hold a unique position and have a propensity to both leave prominently visible scarring and get infected. Dog bites account for 90 % of facial soft tissue injuries. The injuries may cause permanent disfigurement to the victims, often requiring reconstructive surgery.
Dog attack victims who suffer facial injuries usually suffer psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress in addition to their physical impairments.
Although most dogs never bite a human, under particular circumstances, any dog can inflict harm. Kids are the most common victims of dog bites due to their short stature, especially in fatal incidents.
The highest incidence of dog bites is in boys 5–9 years old. Close to half of all reported cases of dog bites in Ontario involve an animal owned by the victim’s family or, more commonly, the victim’s neighbours. Dog breeds commonly identified for their role in fatal dog bite attacks are pit-bull breeds, malamutes, chows, Rottweilers, huskies, German shepherds and Dobermans.
The location of injury due to dog bites is largely dependent on age. The most frequently affected areas in younger children are the head, face, and neck. As the child grows, bites to the extremities are most common on the limbs.
Bite injuries range from trivial ones needing no medical intervention to major soft-tissue defects with the loss of functionally important structures. A bite can also transmit unusual pathogens from the saliva into the wound. A dog’s mouth contains more than 1,000 species of pathogenic bacteria, so bite wounds are generally contaminated, and treatment is complex because of the risk of infection.
About three to 20 % of dog bite wounds develop infections. For more information, talk to our Hamilton dog attack lawyers. We’ve seen countless dog bite and dog attack cases and are familiar with what the victims often go through.
Anyone experiencing a potentially life-threatening event, such as a dog attack or a brutal dog bite, may experience considerable post-traumatic psychological distress. Dog bites present a significant public health problem. They are a frequent cause of not only physical trauma in both adults and kids – but there is also a high risk of psychological stress when exposed to such a devastating physical injury.
A dog attack is a phenomenon that involves severe injuries and produces intense fear, helplessness, and horror. The result, for many, may be temporary or permanent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Injured children seem to be more vulnerable than adults to developing significant psychological distress. Many dog attack victims go on to suffer ongoing fear of dogs and fear of the outdoors, which often requires extensive psychological treatment.
Our Hamilton dog bite lawyers have seen the psychological wounds caused by these traumatic events. We have a strong network of qualified, professional healthcare providers. We will connect you with the best doctors, counsellors, and other professionals to help you recover from every aspect of your injuries – physical, mental, and emotional.
The Dog Owner’s Legislation in Ontario can be confusing. If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog, contact one of our Hamilton dog bite and dog attack lawyers today. We serve dog attack victims in Hamilton, Burlington, St. Catharines and province-wide. We will fight to obtain the most compensation possible for you and your family after a severe dog attack. It is 100% free to speak with our Hamilton dog attack lawyers specializing in dog bites and dog bite attacks.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite or animal attack, we can help. Call Lalande Personal Injury Lawyers today, no matter where you are in Ontario, at 1-844-LALANDE or local in the Hamilton/Niagara/Burlington areas at 905-333-8888 to set up your free consultation today. Alternatively, you can email us confidentially by visiting our contact us page, and we will be happy to return your inquiry promptly.
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Victims of dog attacks often suffer from deep bite marks and torn flesh, requiring immediate medical attention and potentially multiple surgeries.
The trauma from a dog attack can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), especially in children, affecting their daily life and mental health.
Yes, survivors of dog attacks may develop a long-lasting fear of animals, causing anxiety in situations where they encounter dogs.
Yes, serious dog attacks can lead to disfigurement, necessitating reconstructive plastic surgery to heal physical scars/
yes, children who experience dog attacks may face significant psychological challenges, including nightmares and social anxiety.
After a dog attack, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the dog’s owner.
Yes, you can claim compensation for psychological trauma, such as PTSD, anxiety, and fear, as part of your personal injury lawsuit following a dog attack.
You have two years to file a Dog Attack lawsuit in Ontario.
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