Dog Bites

Colorado Dog Bite Injury Attorneys

Facts about Dog Bites

800,000 people in the U.S. seek medical care for dog bite wounds each year.
400,000 of those dog bite victims are children.
Emergency rooms see about 386,000 people per year for dog bite treatment.
Most children who are treated for dog bites are between the ages of 5 and 9.
Most of the dog-bite injuries to children younger than 4 involve the head or neck.
Boys are more likely to be victims of dog bites than are girls.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Every year in the U.S., some 4.7 million people suffer dog bites, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite concerted efforts by that organization and others to call attention to the danger, dog bites send hundreds of thousands of people to hospital emergency rooms for treatment. Colorado has enacted statutes that impose liability on dog owners for injuries their animals cause, however, specific circumstances apply. For accurate information on your eligibility for compensation for a dog bite, consult a qualified personal injury attorney.

At the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal, our Colorado dog bite injury lawyers know the statutes, and we can explain the situations in which dog owners can be held liable for their animals’ attacks. Dog bites can pose serious health issues, and they can cause significant physical damage, including permanent scarring. When irresponsible behavior or negligence on the part of a dog’s owner results in a bite injury to you, call our offices for advice on your legal rights.

Colorado statutes say that “a person or a personal representative of a person who suffers serious bodily injury or death from being bitten by a dog while lawfully on public or private property shall be entitled to bring a civil action to recover economic damages against the dog owner.” Whether or not the dog is known to be vicious or dangerous is not relevant. In cases where dog owners are aware that an animal is dangerous but fail to take actions necessary to protect people from that threat, owners may be held liable.

What does “serious bodily injury” mean? It means that there is a serious risk that you could die from your injuries. Or that you could be permanently disfigured. It also applies to injuries that cause loss of or impairment of body parts or organs. Broken bones also are included in the state’s definition.

The law is very specific about conditions under which you can be bitten by someone’s dog and have no legal right to hold them liable. That condition applies when you are bitten while trespassing or at the dog’s location illegally. If you ignore posted beware-of-dog signs or other warnings of danger, you may be barred from seeking compensation for your injuries. Liability may not apply if you are bitten by a dog that is working, by police and military dogs, or by animals in other specified circumstances.

When you or a loved one has been injured because a dog owner has acted carelessly or negligently, contact the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal for knowledgeable advice from our Denver dog bite injury lawyers. We understand the laws that apply to animal attacks, and we’ll explain your rights. Call our offices today at (303) 825-2223 and ask for a free initial consultation from the Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal.

Contact our Denver Colorado Personal Injury Law Firm at 303-825-2223
DenverCOInjuryAttorney.com