If you are the victim of a dog bite in North Carolina, you may be entitled to recover damages for your injuries. There is a leash law in effect in Charlotte Mecklenburg which states "Animals [except cats] must be on a leash, contained within a fence or an operable and marked invisible fence. An animal may be loose in its own yard if there is an adult (18 years or older) immediately next to the animal and the animal responds to direct verbal commands of the person." Violations of the leash law does not automatically make a dog owner responsible, however, it sets the standard that unless a dog is appropriately restrained in the owner's yard, the dog must be on a leash.
If the dog bite occurs within the home of the dog owner, or within its fenced yard, the owner may still be responsible for injuries inflicted by the biting canine. In North Carolina, a dog's owner is charged with having knowledge of the general propensities of his particular breed. Furthermore, the owner of the dog must exercise care to prevent injury from reasonably anticipated conduct of that particular breed. In other words, the owner of a Rottweiler is charged with having knowledge of the general characteristics of the Rottweiler breed.
It is important to contact Animal Control immediately if you are the victim of a dog bit. Animal Control will take steps necessary to determine whether the dog is current on its vaccines, and if necessary, quarantine the animal.
Worried about filing a claim against your neighbor? Don't be! Claims for dog bites are handled by the homeowner's insurance, or, if applicable, the renter's insurance policy for the dog's owner. Once the claim is filed, there is little or no contact with the dogs owner and all communication is with their insurance company.
Our Charlotte, North Carolina attorneys have handled countless dog bite cases. Do not hesitate to call us for your free case evaluation.
