Dog Bites

Minnesota Dog Bite Lawyer & Attorney

Minnesota law provides that a dog owner is responsible for injuries caused by his or her dog.  Most cases involve a dog attacking and biting someone.  However, sometimes dogs cause injuries to persons simply by pushing them over or tripping them.  We have handled cases where a dog knocked someone off of a bicycle and where a dog pushed someone down a flight of stairs. Most dog owners have homeowner’s or rental insurance that will cover their legal responsibility for their dog’s actions.

Many people believe that a dog owner is responsible for injuries caused by a bite only if the dog has bitten before.  That is NOT the law in Minnesota.  The law holds an owner automatically responsible the first time the dog bites.  The only defense the owner has is if the victim provoked the attack or was trespassing.

Statistics show that on average there are 300,000 dog bites per year that require medical treatment.  2010 data shows that 61% of the attacks occur to children (11 years and younger) and 39% occur to adults (12 and older).

Unfortunately, some of the injuries can be quite severe and can include:

• Rabies
• Lacerations
• Emotional trauma
• Fractures
• Head injuries.

In 2010, dog attacks caused 33 deaths, 20 of them children.  In these tragic instances, the family can file a wrongful death suit against the dog owner. Most of the dog bite cases we have handled involve scarring and nerve damage, but we have also handled dog bite or dog attack cases resulting in many other types of injuries.

If you have been injured by a dog or other animal, please contact the Rochlin Law Firm, Ltd. to determine your legal rights and entitlement to fair compensation.

For more information on dog bite statistics, see www.dogsbite.org.