May 16 to May 22, 2010 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week across the U.S. If you're heading out to a dog park in Modesto this month, it's important to consider your safety and the safety of your pet while you're at play. Dog parks are great places where owners and their pets can enjoy an open space for fun. Most dog parks are leash-free zones in which dogs can play freely without restriction. Although most interactions in these environments are incident-free, dog bites to people and other dogs do occur more than you might realize.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), dogs bite more than 4.7 million people each year in the United States. Of those injured, 800,000 people seek medical attention and 386,000 require treatment by emergency room staff. Only about 16 Americans die from dog bites, but many of those injured are small children.
So who's liable if you get bitten? Although cases vary greatly in circumstance and severity, the same rules apply to dog parks that apply when you're on someone's personal property: the owner is typically responsible for injuries caused to another person. Dog parks are leash-free havens, but they're not unincorporated territories in which anyone can be injured without repercussion! Even if there are signs that say "Enter at Your Own" risk, you do not necessarily waive your right to safety when you're in a dog park.
If a dog has bitten you at a dog park or anywhere else, it's important that you contact a reliable personal injury lawyer to represent you. You may be entitled to damages for your injuries, loss of wages or other expenses. Similarly, if you're being accused of causing an injury to someone else, you need superior representation to fight for your rights.
