Topic: Damages

A Loose Dog Caused Me to Crash My Car

Many people automatically think a dog injury only occurs when a dog bites a person, which forces them to seek medical attention. While this is one type of injury caused by a dog, it’s not the only type of injury. When a driver swerves or brakes to avoid hitting a loose dog, it can cause serious property damage or bodily injury to you, your car, and others in the area. These types of injuries that are not a result of direct interaction with a dog but are still caused by a dog are considered dog-related damages.

Louisiana Law

Louisiana addresses the negligence of a dog owner with specific legal doctrine. When a dog owner does not take precautions to prevent their dog from causing injury to others then they can be held liable. Louisiana doctrine states that dogs must be secure at all times, either on a leash or behind secured fences, and that a dog does not have to bite anyone in order for the doctrine to apply. If a dog causes someone to injure him or herself through directly targeted behavior, then the owner can be liable for the resulting damages and injuries. This means that if a dog causes a car wreck then the owner is responsible.

Responsibility of the Accident

While Louisiana is a strict liability state, meaning a dog owner is responsible for any injuries their dog causes, a situation can become complicated if more than one car is involved in a wreck.

If a dog causes a car crash it is considered a dog-related injury.If your car is the only one affected when a dog causes a car wreck then the owner of the dog is likely responsible for the accident. The resulting injury and/or property damage caused by the negligence of the dog owner to properly secure their dog means that it is the owner’s responsibility to pay for the damage.

If several cars are involved while avoiding the dog then two or more parties could be held responsible for the accident, including the dog owner. If someone rear-ended you after you hit the brakes, the dog owner and the person who rear-ended you could both be responsible.

Filing a Claim

A car wreck can lead to serious expenses and that’s something you don’t want to be on the line for by yourself. This is especially true if you didn’t cause the accident in the first place. Getting the responsible party, in most cases the dog owner, to cover your expenses will be your top priority. If the dog is a strange dog you are unfamiliar with, try to identify it by its nametag. If the dog is aggressive or skittish, ask around the area where you wrecked to see if any neighbors know who the dog belongs to and avoid further injuries. After you find the owner, you can file a claim.

In the case that you know the dog and whom it belongs to then all you need to do is file your claim with the owner’s information. While you may be hesitant to cause strain in your relationship by filing a claim, you don’t need to worry about putting a financial strain on them. Their homeowners insurance will cover the costs of the damage and your injuries. You’ll be able to get the compensation you need to repair your life.

A car accident caused by a loose dog in the street is no laughing matter. Swerving into a light pole, mailbox, or other object will result in extensive property damage and can result in great personal injury. If you have experienced an accident due to a dog roaming the streets, contact Gegenheimer so he can help you get the compensation you need to restore your life. Whether you need help making sure the claim includes all damage and costs or you need help getting the dog owner or other party involved to cooperate, Gegenheimer can help you with your accident claim.


This site is intended purely as a resource guide for educational and informational purposes and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Any information provided on this site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a professional attorney in your state. The use and receipt of the information offered on this site is not intended to create, nor does it create, an attorney-client relationship. The content of an e-mail sent to Scott T. Gegenheimer Attorney at Law or any of its attorneys will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not be treated as confidential.

 

Liability for Slip and Fall Accidents

When you enter a business or place of residence you have the expectation to leave in the same condition that you entered.

Slip and fall accidents are a serious concern and can cause serious injury. Businesses and individuals are obligated to provide a reasonably safe area to others. If an incident does occur and you are injured, you’ll need to know if it was caused by the other person’s negligence or if it was something that was a normal part of life.

Providing a Safe Premises

Businesses and individuals that open their property up to the public have an obligation to provide a safe environment to their guests. They need to take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of anyone on their property.

This means they cannot ignore problems that are obvious safety concerns and must take steps to fix and warn people of potential injuries. When people know about problems before they encounter them they can decide whether they want to take that risk or not.

The owner of a property that has unsafe conditions could be liable for injuries that occur on the property. If they are liable they will have to compensate the victim for injuries.

1-01_Gegenheimer-Blog-slipAndFall_safeEnvironmentsAct Within Reason

A factor that affects who is liable for an injury after a slip and fall is whether the injured person was acting within reason and with care. If an alert person would’ve noticed the danger and avoided it, or was acting recklessly or was in the area without a reason, then the chances of the building owner being liable is low.

While the owner has an obligation to provide a safe area, you have an obligation to act within reason and with reasonable care. The property owner will not be liable for an injury that was a result of reckless behavior.

When it comes to determining who is liable and whether or not you have a case concerning your personal injury, it is best to consult a lawyer. To get an idea of whether or not you may have a case, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Did the owner of the property cause the danger?
  2. Did the owner of the property know about the danger or was the danger obvious to a reasonable person and did the owner refuse to fix it?
  3. Did the object that caused your injury have a legitimate reason to be in the place that you were injured?
  4. Were there any signs indicating the spot could be dangerous?
  5. Were you distracted or doing something else when you were injured?
  6. Would an alert person have avoided the danger?

There are many factors that go into determining who is liable in situations and a lawyer can help you figure out whether or not you have a claim.


This site is intended purely as a resource guide for educational and informational purposes and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Any information provided on this site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a professional attorney in your state. The use and receipt of the information offered on this site is not intended to create, nor does it create, an attorney-client relationship. The content of an e-mail sent to Scott T. Gegenheimer Attorney at Law or any of its attorneys will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not be treated as confidential.

 

Understanding the Compensation Surrounding Dog Attacks

If you’re a victim of a dog bite, you’re entitled to compensation for your damages and losses. But how do you know what you’re entitled to? There are many parts of losses and damages, but they can be generally put in two categories: economic (damages that cost you money) and non-economic (damages that to put to an exact number).

You can get compensated for economic damages after a dog attackEconomic Damages

Economic damages include medical costs such as emergency vehicle transportation, compensation for future operations or cosmetic scar treatment, loss of past and future income or opportunity, defensive measures (such as putting up a fence), and past counseling expenses. It also covers less obvious expenses like future psychological costs, funds expended on a vacation that could not be taken, torn clothing, and more. Essentially, economic damages are explicit expenses incurred as a result of the dog attack.

Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages include but are not limited to the pain of the injury and the treatment, mental suffering when confronted by dogs or remembering the attack, humiliation caused by scars, and loss of quality of life due to disability. Non-economic damages are implicit costs.

The owner of the dog is usually responsible for damages.In some states and cases, the defendant may not be solely liable for the injury. Louisiana however is a strict liability state. This means that the owner of the dog that attacked is liable for the injury, as long as the plaintiff was legally allowed to be where he or she was when the attack occurred, and did not provoke the dog.

Your lawyer should establish the full measure of your damages. Medical bills and records, opinion letters written by your primary physicians, and letters from employers are used as the starting point for the case. A private, experienced attorney is the only one who can advise a dog bite victim as to what evidence is needed in any particular case. They will help determine which experts need to be retained to present their opinions, how much a victim should receive for pain, suffering, humiliation and loss of income, and all of the other items of possible loss mentioned above.



This site is intended purely as a resource guide for educational and informational purposes and is not intended to provide specific legal advice. Any information provided on this site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a professional attorney in your state. The use and receipt of the information offered on this site is not intended to create, nor does it create, an attorney-client relationship. The content of an e-mail sent to Scott T. Gegenheimer Attorney at Law or any of its attorneys will not create an attorney-client relationship and will not be treated as confidential.