Dog Bite In Georgia

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If you’re the a victim of a dog bite in Georgia, you have rights. And you may be owed compensation for your injury. Generally, dog bite victims recover compensation because of the dog owner’s negligence. Most often, an owner’s negligence stems from not warning of the dog’s known aggressiveness or failing to adequately watch their dog.

First Dog Bite Rule

The first ground of liability in Georgia is called the “first bite” rule. This rule states that the dog owner is held responsible for harm if they either knew or should have known that the dog had the propensity to bite. It does not matter if there was a prior bite. The first bite rule imposes strict liability if the owner, or person who is the responsible party for a dog, knew or should have known that the dog previously lunged, nipped, chased, or otherwise behaved in a way that would tip off a reasonable person that the dog had the tendency or desire to hurt someone. See Steagald v. Eason (2017) 797 S.E.2d 838 (2017, Ga. Supreme Ct.).

The second ground of liability in Georgia is the dog bite statute (Georgia Code Annotated section 51-2-7). This statute applies to dog owners and persons who maintain dogs in their home. In addition to liability law focusing on those who own or harbor dogs, Georgia has a premises liability statute (O.C.G.A. 51-2-7) upon which a dog bite victim can base a claim against a landlord or land owner. See Webb v. Danforth, 505 S.E.2d 860 (1998), 234 Ga. App. 211.

Call Us Now

A lawyer should be consulted in any serious dog bite in Georgia. At Holston & Huntley, LLC, we understand that being bitten by a dog can be a traumatic experience, often causing years of psychological and physical recovery. We will provide the aggressive, thorough, and ethical legal representation you need so that you can focus on your physical and mental recovery. We will seek to recover the maximum amount of damages on your behalf. Call us immediately if you are a victim of a dog bite in Georgia. We will always put your interests first. To schedule a FREE initial consultation, call us at 844.422.8339 (Ga-Buddy), or contact us online. We look forward to serving as your Counsel because we understand your needs.