Breckenridge Dog Bite Lawyers
Take Dog Attacks Seriously
Dog bites can result in devastating injuries for victims. Not only are dog attacks physically painful, but they also cause severe psychological and emotional trauma. Dog bite injuries can also be costly to treat. Victims and their families struggle to deal with all these issues in the aftermath of a dog attack.
The experienced Colorado dog bite attorneys at Whitaker & Penix, LLC have helped dog bite victims seek and obtain financial compensation for their injuries, damages and losses. Regardless of your age or the breed or dog that injured you, we know that the consequences of a dog bite can be devastating to you and your family. Please call us at (970) 368-0602 for more information about your legal rights.
Dog Bite Laws in Colorado
Colorado's dog bite law is complex. Under the law, victims of dog attacks who suffer serious bodily injuries can sue the dog’s owner for their losses. In such cases, the dog owner will be held "strictly liable" for the injuries, damages and losses sustained by victims.
Under Colorado Revised Statute Section 13-21-124 "A person who suffers serious bodily injury or death from being bitten by a dog while lawfully on public or private property" is entitled to recover financial compensation from the owner regardless of the dog's past history of aggression. However, in cases where victims suffer less serious injuries, they must prove that the dog owner was aware of their dog's dangerous nature or viciousness in order to get financial compensation.
Defining Serious Bodily Injury
It’s important to review how Colorado law defines "serious bodily injury" in a dog bite case. Dog bites that leave a person with a risk of death, permanent disfigurement, loss or impairment of organs, or broken bones are considered serious bodily injuries. Emotional distress, however, isn’t considered a serious bodily injury. If someone only suffers emotional distress after a dog bite, they may have problems getting the financial support they need to recover. Therefore you need proper legal representation.
There are a few reasons why victims of dog bite injuries in Colorado Springs might struggle to get the support they need. A dog attack victim could lose out on financial compensation if he or she was trespassing at the time of the incident, provoked the dog, was a judge at a dog show, ignored warning signs or if the dog was performing police work.
Protecting Your Rights
If a dog has bitten you, make sure to clean your wound and seek out medical attention right away. Try to find out who owns the dog and take photos of where the incident took place. If you can prove you weren’t trespassing and didn’t provoke the dog, you should be able to pursue financial compensation from the dog owner.
In any dog bite case, an experienced Colorado personal injury lawyer can help research past citations against the dog and its owner. If there were no prior complaints against the dog or its owner, testimony from neighbors about the dog's nature can be invaluable as well.
Injured victims of dog bites can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, cosmetic surgery, rehabilitation, psychological counseling, as well as pain and suffering. If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog in Colorado, please call Whitaker & Penix, LLC for a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can be reached at (970) 368-0602.