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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Animal Attacks and Personal Injury Claims
A recent dog attack in Birmingham injured a 13-year old boy while he was tossing a football with several friends. An unrestrained pit bull attacked him, biting him on his right arm and inflicting wounds severe enough to require stitches. Animal Control Officers placed the dog in quarantine after the boys identified it as the one that attacked. The dog’s owner commented that there are several dogs that roam the neighborhood that look like the one that attacked the boy.
The attack by an unrestrained animal is typical of the type of negligence that could lead to a personal injury claim against an animal’s owner. Pet owners are responsible to keep their animals under control at all times. They are also responsible for any damage or personal injury their animal causes.
Despite owners’ responsibilities, there might be circumstances that spread the responsibility to others. In the recent case where a chimpanzee attacked its owner’s friend, questions are being raised about why animal licensing officials didn’t ensure that this primate was registered as required by law. Would this have made a difference? Only a thorough investigation can make that determination.
On the other side of the country, a settlement was reached in the December 2007 case in which a 17-year old killed by a Siberian tiger that escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo. The zoo’s insurance company will pay the full undisclosed amount to the family.
The two boys who survived that attack also filed suit, but their cases are still in litigation. Although the enclosure met the required specifications and dimensions to confine a “big cat” the fact is that it failed to keep the tiger contained, exposing the zoo to a premises liability claim.
The Cochran Firm, with offices throughout the United States has personal injury attorneys who are experienced in investigating and settling cases involving personal injury claims. If you were injured due to someone’s failure to keep their animal confined, please contact the personal injury attorneys at The Cochran Firm in Birmingham, Alabama for a consultation and case review.
The attack by an unrestrained animal is typical of the type of negligence that could lead to a personal injury claim against an animal’s owner. Pet owners are responsible to keep their animals under control at all times. They are also responsible for any damage or personal injury their animal causes.
Despite owners’ responsibilities, there might be circumstances that spread the responsibility to others. In the recent case where a chimpanzee attacked its owner’s friend, questions are being raised about why animal licensing officials didn’t ensure that this primate was registered as required by law. Would this have made a difference? Only a thorough investigation can make that determination.
On the other side of the country, a settlement was reached in the December 2007 case in which a 17-year old killed by a Siberian tiger that escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo. The zoo’s insurance company will pay the full undisclosed amount to the family.
The two boys who survived that attack also filed suit, but their cases are still in litigation. Although the enclosure met the required specifications and dimensions to confine a “big cat” the fact is that it failed to keep the tiger contained, exposing the zoo to a premises liability claim.
The Cochran Firm, with offices throughout the United States has personal injury attorneys who are experienced in investigating and settling cases involving personal injury claims. If you were injured due to someone’s failure to keep their animal confined, please contact the personal injury attorneys at The Cochran Firm in Birmingham, Alabama for a consultation and case review.
Labels: Birmingham
posted by Anonymous at 2:52 PM
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