Sustaining injuries because of a rogue animal attack can cause life-long trauma to you and those who were with you during and after the incident. If you meet the legal requirements, personal injury laws enable you to hold the pet’s owner or keeper accountable for the harm you experienced. Damages available include money to pay for surgical or medical treatments and to address the mental and emotional impact of the assault.
A Waterbury dog bite lawyer at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC can fight for you as you seek justice against the person or company responsible for handling and housing the animal. Because of our tireless advocacy, many victims of brutal animal attacks have secured the funds needed to begin to rebuild their life. Our personal injury attorneys have been in this fight for a long time and welcome the chance to serve you and your family during this difficult chapter of your life.
When you are hurt by an animal that bites, scratches, or jumps on you, Connecticut General Statutes § 22-357 allows compensation from the dog’s handler regardless of its bite history. Put another way; the law may allow you to take legal action even if you can’t prove the animal was vicious, displayed aggression toward others, or attacked another critter or person in the past. Subject to a few exceptions, the fact that you were harmed may be all you need to prove to recoup a settlement under the rules if you filed your claim on time.
In limited circumstances, you may be ineligible to recover damages if you trespassed onto the owner’s land when the attack occurred. In most cases, trespassing doesn’t just mean being on land without an invitation. In other words, you may need to have been doing something threatening or suspicious—like vandalizing or breaking into the house—on top of being where you weren’t allowed to be.
Likewise, if you were teasing, hurting, or tormenting the dog—e.g., by yelling at or hitting it—the law may limit your opportunity to seek a judgment in your favor. Different rules apply if the victim is a child under seven. A dog bite attorney at our Waterbury firm would be happy to help you understand if you have a right to hold the pet’s handler accountable for your injuries. We have the tools—including an in-house focus group facility—necessary to determine the potential legal arguments we could make and anticipate possible responses from the other side.
When you get hurt by a vicious animal, you may qualify to file a court case against the pet’s owner, keeper, or both. In other words, you may sue the person who owns them and whoever was (or should have been) watching the dog at the time of the attack. But you only have a certain amount of time to take this critical action.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584 gives you two but not more than three years to file a claim, depending on the circumstances and if an exception applies. Generally, you may have to submit a court case within two years after the dog harmed you. There are some exceptions, for example, if a dog scratches you and you contract a severe infection a month later, you may have two years from when you realize the disease is from the animal. Our seasoned legal team of Waterbury attorneys can help set you up for success by identifying crucial deadlines that may apply to your animal attack claim and taking whatever actions are necessary to protect your right to sue.
When you have broken bones, a dangerous infection, or painful lacerations because an animal assaulted you, you deserve to recoup compensation. You didn’t choose to get injured, and it’s unfair for you to have to bear this burden alone.
The experienced advocates at D’Amico & Pettinicchi, LLC can assist you by filing the lawsuit, crafting legal arguments, and championing your rights in court and during settlement talks. Reach out to a Waterbury dog bite lawyer on our team to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.
