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Haden Law Office

Compassionate, Personalized Representation

For Injury Victims Statewide

Compassionate, Personalized Representation

For Injury Victims Statewide

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Representing Victims Of Dog And Other Animal Attacks

A dog is not always man’s best friend. Vicious animal attacks can result in serious personal injuries. Dogs bite approximately 4.5 million people each year in the United States.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost half of those dog bite injuries are to children. About 800,000 Americans each year require medical attention for injuries related to dog bites and 386,000 require emergency room treatment. The CDC’s figures do not consider the psychological trauma a person endures as the result of an animal attack.

For years, I have helped Kentucky injury victims and their families pursue compensation for the pain and suffering they experienced because of dog bites or other animal attacks. My name is attorney Chris Haden, founder of Haden Law Office. I am a personal injury lawyer with 20 years of experience and a reputation for thorough and aggressive representation of his clients. If you have suffered a serious injury or lost a loved one in an animal attack that occurred in the Louisville area or anywhere else in Kentucky, I can protect your legal rights and pursue the financial compensation you deserve.

Kentucky Dog Bite Law

Kentucky law imposes “strict liability” on owners of vicious dogs. This means that a dog’s owner is liable if the dog causes injury, even if the dog has never been aggressive before and even if the owner used reasonable care to control the dog or prevent the bite from occurring. Kentucky law does not limit the types of injuries for which a dog’s owner is liable. Kentucky law applies to both dog bites and other injuries a dog might cause. For example, if a dog jumps on a person and knocks him or her down causing injuries, the injured person may bring a claim against the dog owner because the injury was caused by the owner’s dog.

Vicious Breeds

Any dog can bite you – even a dog you know to be friendly. The CDC conducted a study on breeds of dogs involved in fatal attacks between 1979 and 1998. During that period, at least 25 breeds of dogs were involved in 238 dog bite-related fatalities. The breeds that the CDC identified in fatal attacks on humans are:

  • Pit Bull
  • Rottweiler
  • German Shepherd
  • Husky type (including Siberian)
  • Malamute
  • Wolf-dog hybrid
  • “Mixed breed”
  • Chow Chow
  • Doberman
  • Saint Bernard
  • Great Dane
  • Labrador Retriever
  • Akita
  • Bulldog
  • Mastiff
  • Boxer
  • Collie
  • Bullmastiff
  • Chesapeake Bay Retriever
  • West Highland Terrier
  • Newfoundland
  • Coonhound
  • Sheepdog
  • Australian Shepherd
  • Rhodesian Ridgeback
  • Cocker Spaniel

If you have been injured as a result of a dog bite or another domesticated animal attack, you should:

  • Seek medical attention as soon as possible
  • Immediately report the incident to the police and request a copy of the police accident report
  • Obtain the name and contact information of the dog owner
  • Get the name and contact information of any people who witnessed your accident
  • Photograph the animal that caused your injuries, as well as the location of the incident
  • Photograph any visible injuries you have suffered as a result of the incident
  • Do not communicate with the owner of the dog or the owner’s insurance company. If you accept any form of compensation, you may waive your right to sue for additional damages.
  • Save any clothing that may have been damaged by the animal
  • Save and, if possible, photograph any property damage caused by the animal

Compensation For Kentucky Dog Bite Victims

Recovering from a dog bite can be a painful and lengthy process. Often, victims are entitled to financial compensation to cover medical treatments, medications, future treatment, psychological counseling and lost wages. Claims can be made against the dog owner, the dog owner’s insurer and possibly a third party if their negligence caused or contributed to the injury. A key issue in recovering compensation in any dog bite lawsuit is determining whether the dog owner or other party who caused the injury has insurance coverage, including homeowner’s insurance. I will pursue all avenues to make sure you are fully and fairly compensated for your dog bite injuries.

Call Today For A Free Initial Consultation

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from a dog bite or animal attack in Kentucky, I can review your case at no charge.  Call me at 502-225-1316 or email me today.