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Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Amber is heaven sent!! Amber and her team worked very hard on my case!! They checked on me while I had my weekly doctor visits. They were very detailed with my settlement. I didn’t have to second guess anything. I would recommend her to anybody who is in a car accident !! I’ve even referred my love ones who also needed her to represent them in an accident. She made my process as painless as possible. I wish I could give her 10 stars!!

Jeannette A., Client

I was referred to Amber by my daughter-in-law. I was involved in two rear end collisions in a three month period. She did an excellent job keeping me informed and explained everything to me, in a manner that I could understand. She followed through with me until I had my settlements.

Shirley H., Client

Amber Gilormo is a knowledgeable and hard working attorney. I would not hesitate to seek her counsel.

Kristen Pitts, Peer

The staff is awesome; thorough! They kept me informed!

Sanchez T., Client

Great Experience Wonderful Amazingly Service! I would definitely recommend to anyone who’s in need of attorneys 😎 They’re right ppl to go to for sure indeed!!

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I have had attorneys in the past that does not compare to Attorney Amber Gilormo. She handle all of my concerns and answered all of my questions in a timely manner, I never had to guess what was happening with my case I was always informed and kept to to date.

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Don’t answer the phone for attorneys who have bought your phone# after an accident — call Attorney Gilormo because you will not be disappointed.

Carla Robinson

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WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT MY FORM?

Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer
for Pet and Animal Attacks

Suffering an animal attack can be a traumatic experience.

Not only can you suffer serious and catastrophic injuries, but you may be facing life-long disabilities and disfigurement as a result of an attack. You may find yourself unable to work, unable to pay your bills, and unable to take care of yourself or your family. If you’ve been injured in an animal attack and don’t know where to turn, our Atlanta dog bite lawyer can help you get back on your feet.  We have offices in Atlanta, Alpharetta, and Cumming for your convenience.  

Possible Dog Bite Injuries

The injuries you suffer can range from mild to severe. Children are especially at risk for severe injuries, as their face, neck, and head are at the same height of the dog’s mouth. Older people also face additional risks, as they can easily be knocked off balance and fall, resulting in broken bones. Children and the elderly aside, anyone who is attacked by a dog is at risk for the following injuries: 

  • Puncture wounds and deep lacerations
  • Torn tendons, ligaments, and muscles
  • Broken bones
  • Concussions and other head and neck injuries

In addition to physical injuries, many victims of animal attacks suffer severe emotional and psychological trauma: 

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

The emotional and psychological trauma could have significant impacts on your quality of life, leaving you unable to sleep, relax, or go to work. Lastly, it’s important to remember there is a high risk of infection from animal bites, such as rabies or tetanus. 

Dog Attacks on Children: What An Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer Wants You To Know

Dog Attacks Happen – Even in Your Neighborhood

More than 50 percent of all dog bite victims are children, and children are more medically susceptible than adults. While only 12 percent of adults require medical treatment, 26 percent of all child dog attack victims need a trip to the emergency room or to a doctor. The most likely place for dog attacks to occur is in the home of the victim. The second most likely place is at the home of a friend of the victim. Seventy-seven percent of biting dogs are owned by the victim’s family, a relative or a friend of the family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, dog bites pose a greater health risk for children than mumps, measles, and whooping cough combined. They are also more common than injuries from bike accidents, playground injuries, mopeds, skateboards, or ATVs. Dog bite treatments cost more than a staggering billion dollars each year. The most common victims are boys ages five to nine, and children, in general, are most frequently bit in the head, face, and neck.

The Impact of an Attack is Greater than Physical Injuries

Younger, smaller children understandably tend to be most severely injured, with infants and toddlers making up the largest proportion of children treated for dog bites at major trauma centers each year. Children may suffer physical and mental trauma caused by dog attacks for many years, and often the trauma lasts into adulthood. Some child dog attack victims develop post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), requiring years of therapy and psychological support.

Gilormo Injury Law Can Help Your Child

If your child has suffered injuries caused by a dog attack, get them to the emergency room as quickly as possible, no matter how slight the injury appears to be, and then contact an Atlanta dog bite lawyer at Gilormo Injury Law for help recovering your damages. 

Animal Attacks by Other Pets

The vast majority of animal attacks are caused by dog bites. However, other pets cause many injuries as well, including:

  • Horse kicks
  • Cat bites and scratches
  • Bites by domestic rodents, such as gerbils and hamsters
  • Bites, scratches, or other injuries by exotic animals, such as “domesticated” big cats, birds, snakes, and other reptiles

Owning a pet, particularly a wild or exotic animal, requires pet owners to be responsible for knowing the laws associated with keeping that pet. If your child was injured by an animal that requires special documentation, our Atlanta dog bite law firm can investigate on your behalf.

The CDC provides some statistics on injuries caused by pets other than dogs, including the following:

  • There are an estimated 400,000 cat bites each year.
  • An estimated 66,000 hospital emergency visits each year are due to cat bites.
  • Three children have been killed by pet wolves in the past 30 years.
  • Reptile pets can also be fatal; some injuries involve strangulation instead of bites, caused by large pet snakes like boa constrictors and pythons.

An injury caused by an exotic pet is typically a strict liability offense. This means that the owner of the exotic pet may be held liable for an attack regardless of whether they were at fault because wild animals are unpredictable and typically cannot be adequately tamed. Georgia is one of several states that has a comprehensive ban on the ownership of exotic pets.

Owner’s Liability for Injuries Caused by a Dog: An Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer Explains

As discussed above, dog owners are liable for injuries caused by a dog attack under certain conditions. One factor that can make the process of establishing liability much easier is if the bite takes place in a local jurisdiction where there is a leash law in effect. If the dog was unlawfully off a leash when it bit you, Georgia law allows this as evidence of the dog’s “vicious propensities.” In other words, if the dog owner was in violation of a local leash ordinance, you may be able to use that fact to prove owner negligence and resulting liability.

Additionally, If there is indeed evidence that the dog has attacked before, you may be able to use this information to prove owner negligence. Georgia has a “dangerous dog” classification. If there is documented evidence that the dog has bitten before, and the dog is classified as a dangerous dog, the dog owner is required to provide additional constraints. Gilormo Injury Law can determine whether such evidence exists through research into public records and other various means.

Finally, in the event of a dog attack, although it may prove difficult under the circumstances, cellphone video footage can be used to document the dog’s breed and physical characteristics, as well as whether it was leashed or not. Likewise, pictures and/or video of your own injuries can serve as evidence. 

Rules for Dangerous and Vicious Dogs in Georgia

Georgia’s Responsible Dog Ownership Law includes a requirement that dangerous and vicious dogs must be registered. While it’s good to have an understanding of this law, our  Atlanta dog bite attorneys will complete an investigation into what laws, ordinances, or homeowners association laws, bylaws, and regulations may have been broken or ignored that caused your injuries.

“Dangerous dogs” are those dogs that inflict a serious injury or present an imminent threat of serious injury other than simply growling, barking or showing their teeth. “Vicious dogs” are those dogs that have inflicted a serious injury upon someone who was reasonably trying to escape the dog attack.

For dangerous dogs, a certificate of registration will only be issued if the following conditions are met: 

  • The owner must have the dog contained in an enclosure that keeps the dog on their own property, indoors or in a locked pen, fence or other similar structure that restricts the dog to the owner’s property. 
  • The owner must post warning signs that are clearly visible and affixed to all entrances to all areas the dog resides in, stating that there is a dangerous dog on the premises.

For vicious dogs, a certificate of registration will only be issued if the following conditions are met: 

  • As with dangerous dogs, a vicious dog must be contained to the owner’s premises and there must be warning signs on the premises.
  • The dog must also be microchipped. 
  • The owner must carry a minimum of $50,000 in liability insurance for any bodily injury the canine may inflict.

If a dog owner has been convicted of violating these rules two or more times, he or she cannot receive a certificate of registration for a vicious dog. Also, under Georgia law, a person cannot own two or more vicious dogs.

Animal Owners May Be Held Liable Under Georgia Law

Georgia law expressly states that animal owners may be held liable for any injuries caused by their dog or another animal if you can prove the following: 

  1. The animal was vicious or dangerous;
  2. The owner was careless in managing the animal or allowed it to roam free; 
  3. You did not provoke the dog/animal. 

Proving these elements is more complex than it appears and each of these requires separate consideration. An Atlanta dog bite lawyer can help you understand how the law might apply to your case. 

What to Do When the Owner Claims You Provoked the Attack

People are sometimes shocked to discover that others will lie or exaggerate in order to avoid responsibility, and this is no different in dog bite cases. The owner may allege that you provoked the dog when you acknowledged its presence. They may claim that you were trespassing on their property and ignored signs warning you to “beware of the dog.” If the owner is claiming that you provoked the animal attack, the best thing you can do is speak with an Atlanta dog bite lawyer.

What Your Claim May Be Worth with an Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer

If you have to pursue a claim against the dog’s owner for you or your child’s injuries, it’s important to understand what your claim may be worth. If you can prove that the owner was negligent, you may be entitled to compensation for the following: 

  • Your medical expenses
  • Your lost income
  • Your pain and suffering

Most non-lawyers wind up settling their claim for far less than it is worth. An aggressive Atlanta dog bite lawyer will make sure you get compensated for the full value of your personal injury claim.

Animal Bite FAQs

  What is a Dangerous Dog or Animal? Our Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer Explains Read More

Determining whether the dog who bit you is considered “dangerous” or “vicious” is somewhat complicated, and fits into the duties that your Atlanta dog bite lawyer will complete. If you were bitten somewhere with a leash law in effect, then you do not need to prove that the dog was dangerous – the fact that they weren’t on a leash is sufficient. If there is no leash law, the fact that you were attacked by the animal may not be sufficient evidence by itself. As a result, you may want to consider some other factors: 

  • A history of threatening, aggressive behavior towards other people or animals
  • What type of animal it is
  • Whether the owner was aware of the animal’s dangerous tendencies

  How Can I Determine if the Owner was Careless? Read More

If you were attacked by an unleashed dog where there was a leash law in effect, this element may be fairly easy to prove. The law in Georgia seems to suggest that simply being off the leash may be sufficient, but again, you may want to gather some additional evidence to support your case. And, what if the dog was leashed before it attacked you? Our Atlanta dog bite lawyer has outlined factors to consider: 

  • The person controlling the animal was not strong enough to keep it fully under control in the event that it became excited. 
  • The leash broke because it was inadequate. 
  • The animal lacked the training and discipline to be around other people or animals. 
  • The animal has a history of aggressive behavior towards other people and the owner did not make an adequate effort to control it.
  • The animal escaped from an enclosure that was not secure or otherwise inadequate. 

An experienced Atlanta dog bite lawyer can review your case and collect the evidence that you need to support your claim. 

  What Should I Do If I Am Victim of an Animal Attack? Read More

First and foremost, you need to focus on your health. The injuries you suffer could require extensive treatment and months of recovery. In the event that you need to pursue a claim with an Atlanta dog bite lawyer, however, there are some very important steps that you need to take: 

  • Keep copies of all medical documentation regarding your injuries: receipts, invoices, bills, doctor’s notes, reports, referrals, and any other related paperwork. 
  • Keep track of any other losses or expenses, including any lost income from missing work. 
  • Document your injuries by taking photos of the bite and any other injuries caused by the attack. 
  • Ask witnesses to provide you with a written statement concerning what they observed leading up to, during, and after the attack. 
  • Obtain copies of the animal’s vaccination records and find out whether the dog has previously bitten or attacked anyone else. 

If you choose to work with an Atlanta dog bite lawyer, they can help you with some of these steps so that you can focus on your recovery. 

  Does Georgia have a One-Bite Law? Read More

Georgia is not a pure one-bite law state. In other words, there is no language in the Georgia dog-bite statute that says a dog owner is liable as long as the dog has bitten one person before, which is the basis of the one-bite dog rule. Instead, the statute in Georgia states that a dog’s owner is liable under the statute in the following situations:

  • The owner knew the dog was dangerous, or
  • The owner was careless with the dog, and
  • The victim did not provoke the dog

Contact Gilormo Injury Law for Help With Your Case

An animal attack can leave you with severe, life-long injuries. At Gilormo Injury Law, we believe that negligent animal owners should be held accountable. We serve clients in all of Metro Atlanta, including, Alpharetta and Cumming.  To schedule a free consultation with a dedicated Atlanta dog bite lawyer.

Call us at 770-343-7101 or complete our online contact form to discuss your case and how we can help.

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