If you have been involved in a dog bite incident in Ohio, you need to be aware that in Ohio there is a strict liability statute and a negligence statute.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what to do if you’re bit by a dog in Ohio.
What Does Ohio Law Say About Dog Bites?
Ohio revised code section 955.28(B) states that a dog owner, keeper or harborer is liable for any injury caused by a dog if:
1) The dog’s behavior caused the injury;
2) the injured person was not committing or attempting to commit a crime;
3) the injured person was not trespassing; and
4) the injured person did not provoke the dog by teasing, tormenting, or abusing it.
If You’ve Been Bit by a Dog in Ohio
When bit by a dog, you should do the following things:
- Contact the police and the animal control shelter and file incident reports. It is essential that the police and animal control center gather as much information about the dog owner’s insurance, particularly their homeowners insurance information including insurance carrier, policy number and address information;
- Take pictures of all of your injuries;
- Obtain medical treatment as soon as possible. It is important, when you are at the emergency room, that you describe to the doctor in detail all of your injures from top to bottom, describing the pain that you are feeling, describing all of your concerns, and describing all of your anxiety and stress;
- Immediately report the incident to the dog owner’s homeowners insurance company. Provide them with the date of the incident and describe to them exactly what happened and all of your resulting injuries;
- Do not agree to do any interviews with the adjusters of the homeowners insurance company without discussing your claim thoroughly with an experienced attorney;
- Make sure that you continue to follow-up with your family doctor and continue to provide him or her a through history of your injuries, limitations and restrictions and how the incident impacted you;
- Keep a detailed diary that thoroughly outlines all of your injuries, limitations and restrictions.
If you have been bitten by a dog, you have two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit against the responsible owner.
Questions? We Can Help
Have you been bit by a dog in Ohio? Do you still have unanswered questions? The Law Office of Tom Somos, LLC is here to answer any questions you may have.
