Per studies, there are about 500,000 dog bites annually in the United States. These dog bites can be serious, or even fatal. In the year 2015 alone, there were 34 United States dog bite fatalities! What is noteworthy is that pit bulls contributed to 82 percent, or 28, of those fatalities. This is true despite them being regulated in Military Housing areas and over 700 United States cities. If you suffer a dog bite injury from another person’s dog, it is important that you hire an attorney for your case. The Kentucky attorneys at Roberts Law Office are experienced dog bite attorneys and are here to help you.
Kentucky’s Dog Bite Law
Per Ky. Rev. Stat. § 258.235, Kentucky is a “strict liability” state regarding dog bites and other injuries that a dog may cause. This essentially means that the owner of a dog will be liable if his or her dog causes injury. This is true even if the dog has never exhibited violent propensities; there is no one-bite rule in Kentucky. Because Kentucky is a strict liability state for dog bites, the injured person does not have to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent. Not only will the dog’s owner be liable to injured individuals, the dog’s owner will also be liable for damage his or her dog causes to livestock or other property.
Statute of Limitations
If you sustained an injury at the fault of another, there is an important rule of law that you should be aware of: the “statute of limitations.” This rule maintains that if you are injured in Kentucky, you will generally have one year to file your civil lawsuit with the courts. Please note that the date of injury may vary from case to case. For instance, if the injury was originally unknown, the one-year time limitation period will begin ticking on the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. This is termed the “discovery rule.” This rule is critical and you should strictly adhere to it. If you do not file your case during this limitations-period, you are most likely barred from doing so!
Hire an a Dog Bite Attorney for your Case
If you or your loved one has a dog bite case, you should hire an experienced dog bite attorney. Such an attorney can be found at Roberts Law Office. We are Kentucky attorneys and we offer FREE consultations. You will not owe us anything unless we recover money on your case. We encourage you to give us a call or submit a form on our contact page.