You might be surprised, but even the friendliest and seemingly docile dog might bite a person. They can do considerable damage too. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people were bitten by dogs about 4.5 million times last year, and about 800,000 of those bites resulted in medical care. That’s an alarming 1 out of every 73 people in the country. About half of those victims are children. Here at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, our Missoula dog bite lawyers take dog attacks seriously.
Montana’s Dog Bite Statute
Like just about every other state, Montana has its own dog bite statute. It’s found at section 27-1-175 of the Montana Revised Statutes, and it states as follows: “Liability of Owner of Vicious Dog. (1) The owner of a dog that without provocation bites a person while the person is on or in a public place or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, located within an incorporated city or town is liable for damages that may be suffered by the person bitten regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of the viciousness.”
Strict Liability
Montana’s dog bite statute is what makes the state a strict liability dog bite state. A dog’s owner can be held liable for injuries and damages, even their dog had never bitten anybody in the past. Montana falls in line with 38 other states that are strict liability dog bite states. It’s not a state where every dog gets “one free bite.” The only defenses to strict liability might be if the victim somehow provoked the dog, was trespassing, or if the attack occurred in an unincorporated area. Under Montana law, dog owners are legally responsible for personal injury damages that include:
- Past and future medical bills.
- Lost earnings or diminished earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering.
- Any permanent disfigurement or disability.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Other valuable damages in the event of a wrongful death.
Common Dog Bite Attack Injuries
Dog bite victims, especially children, often require extensive medical care and treatment for the bite injuries that they suffered as a result of an attack. Emergency treatment alone can cost thousands of dollars. Here are some common dog bite injuries:
- Scalp and facial lacerations, scarring and disfigurement.
- Damage to facial nerves.
- Injuries to the eyes.
- Skin, muscle, nerve and bone damage to arms, hands and legs.
- Loss of one or more fingers or even part of the nose.
- Permanent injuries to the eyes.
- Severe bacterial infections.
Dog attacks are traumatizing and terribly painful too. After an attack, some victims are in need of one or more reconstructive surgeries. If you or your child suffered dog bite injuries, get to an emergency room right away. Upon being released, contact us here at Quirk Accident & Injury Lawyers, APC right away for a free consultation and case review with an experienced and assertive Missoula dog bite lawyer. We can talk about what happened and how it has affected you. After that, we can talk about aggressively approaching the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries and damages. We’ve helped other dog bite victims in the past. Once you retain us, obtaining the maximum compensation that you deserve will be our objective.
Contact Us Right Away
After you leave the hospital, contact us here at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC, and we’ll be pleased to provide you with a free consultation and case review. Upon retaining us, our objective will be to obtain the maximum settlement or award that you deserve.
Speak confidentially with Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC. We want to help you. Remember that it’s our objective to maximize any proceeds that we obtain for you whether by settlement or an award.