Dog Bite Injuries

It happens all too often in Northeastern North Carolina: A person jogging or biking down the road is chased down by a Rottweiler; a child is mauled by a neighbor’s Pit Bull who broke free from a chain or fence; or a utility or cable worker is attacked by a Doberman Pinscher protecting a homeowner’s yard.

Dog bites are common, and they can be serious. Nearly five million Americans are bitten or attacked by dogs each year, and nearly 800,000 of these victims require medical treatment, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The dog bite can result in severe catastrophic injuries, including disability and disfigurement. They can also cause permanent emotional wounds. In the worst cases, dog bites lead to death.

At Glover Law Firm our Northeastern North Carolina dog bite attorneys know that you may be confused about your legal rights after you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog. We are committed to helping you navigate through your legal options and making sure that you receive the compensation you deserve for your medical expenses, lost wages, physical pain and emotional suffering.

When you or a loved one is attacked by a dog, you may be entitled to compensation. However, you will need the assistance of a skilled and experienced attorney and staff who knows how to investigate dog-bite attacks and can sort through the different laws that apply in this area.

Generally speaking, there are three ways to hold the dog owner responsible:

• Strict liability: Under North Carolina’s “dog-bite” statute, an owner can be held strictly liable if the animal meets the statute’s definition of a “dangerous dog.” This means a dog that “without provocation has killed or inflicted severe injury on a person,” or a dog that is defined as dangerous by a city or county animal control, or a dog that has been kept primarily or in part for the purpose of dog fighting. Strict liability can also be established if the owner violates a statute that prohibits dogs over the age of six months from running at large at night. Strict liability means no showing of negligence is required as long as your injuries were caused by a “dangerous dog” or violation of the statute.
• Negligence: A dog owner can be held liable for negligence when the bite or attack is by an animal that had a dangerous or vicious trait that the owner knew or should have reasonably known about. North Carolina is one of the few states in the country that follows the “one bite” rule, which means that negligence is difficult to establish if it is the first time a dog has bitten another person. However, under state law, an owner can be charged with knowing that a certain breed of dog is particularly dangerous, such as a Rottweiler, Pit Bull or Doberman Pinscher.
• Local ordinances: If an owner violates a local leash law or ordinance, then it may be used to establish negligence, or negligence per se. Several cities and counties throughout Northeastern North Carolina have laws on the books that require owners to keep their dogs on a leash in public or else confined in some fashion on the owner’s property. These laws are aimed at the protection of the general public.

At Glover Law Firm we will thoroughly investigate your dog bite or attack and consult with our animal control and medical experts to determine how it occurred, the extent of your injuries and the best legal options to pursue for your compensation. Along the way, we will keep you updated on our information and the progress of your case.

In many dog-bite cases, the owner will contend that the victim’s own trespassing, provocation or negligence brought on the attack, or that the victim assumed the risk of being bitten through their actions. We know how to counter these claims and guide cases to successful resolution.

For more than 30 years, we have helped dog bite victims and their families throughout the state, especially in Northeastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks, including those in Elizabeth City, Edenton, Hertford, Camden, Manteo, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Duck, Corolla and surrounding areas in Pasquotank, Camden, Dare, Currituck, Perquimans, Chowan and Gates counties. Our results include some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Northeastern North Carolina history.

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries from a dog bite, call us today at (252) 299-5300 or use our online form to learn how we can help you. We provide free consultations and charge no fee unless you recover damages.

Danny Glover Jr. is a seasoned negotiator, accomplished trial lawyer and passionate advocate for the rights and interests of his clients. They have more than 24 years of legal experience and have helped thousands of personal injury victims and their families to recover favorable verdicts and settlements. For their work, they have earned recognition from North Carolina Super Lawyers, The Million Dollar Advocates Forum and N.C. Advocates for Justice, among others.

We assist dog bite victims throughout the state, especially in Northeastern North Carolina and the Outer Banks, including those in Elizabeth City, Edenton, Hertford, Camden, Manteo, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Duck, Corolla and surrounding areas in Pasquotank, Camden, Dare, Currituck, Perquimans, Chowan and Gates counties

For a free consultation about your dog bite case, call us today at (252) 299-5300 or use our convenient online form. We charge no fee unless we are successful in our attempts to recover damages on your behalf.