Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are bitten by animals, usually dogs, and in most cases, the person bitten may have legal right to recover damages from the animal owner. Often times, compensation will be secured from insurance companies, including homeowner’s and renter’s insurance, when an individual is bitten and injured by a dog or other animal.
In Florida, there are special laws that deal with damages caused by dog bites. Florida imposes strict liability on dog owners for all bite incidents. Therefore, the owner of the dog is responsible whether they knew the dog was dangerous or not. However, any of your own negligence may reduce the amount of your damages award. You may also be able to bring a claim for simple negligence. Some counties in Florida have implemented leash law rules that prevent negligent tethering an animal, and require a dog owner to restrain a dog when it is off of the owner’s property.
