Can I Sue a Park for An Animal Bite?
of cars, kids on bikes, joggers, elderly people and more. Dog parks, however, are not risk free. People get injured by dogs in parks throughout the U.S. and finding liability is not always easy.
Problems That Arise in Dog Park
- Dog owners not cleaning up after their dogs – even in dog parks, owners are legally responsible for
cleaning up after their pets. Failure to do so can result in fines and the spread of disease. - Inappropriate dogs at parks – bringing dogs that are not socialized, not neutered or scared is irresponsible as these dogs can become violent.
- Injuries to people – when someone is injured by a dog in a park, the owner is typically the on responsible. Even if the injury occurred in a leash optional park, the owner is not exempt from acting responsibly.
Liability for a Dog Bite at a Park
Whether a park is leash optional or not, dog owners are responsible for ensuring their dogs are behaving. Being injured in a leash optional park makes it more difficult to find liability and establish negligence. Negligence is the lack of ordinary care, or the absence or care a responsible person would take in a similar situation. In a leash optional park, a dog owner should still act responsibly and anticipate how their dog might act in certain situations. Because it is up to the owner to ensure that their dogs are not behaving unruly, parks are not typically held responsible for dog related injuries.
If you were injured by a dog in a manner that could have been prevented, you my have a case against the negligent owner. Contact the dog bite lawyers at Kerry Collins Law for a free evaluation of your dog bite case.
Photo courtesy of Gerson_rodriguez by Pixabay .
