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Dogs bite more than 4.5 million people yearly, 800,000 of whom require medical attention for their injuries, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reports. When dogs attack, they can inflict severe injuries and cause intense psychological distress, potentially leading to substantial medical bills, lingering trauma, and diminished quality of life.
If a dog bit you in Alexandria, Virginia, the legal team at Marks & Harrison is ready to help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries. Our firm has been helping injured people in Virginia for over a century. We have 26 attorneys and over 100 support staffers, giving us the experience and resources you can count on when the stakes are high. We charge a fee only if we win, so there’s no risk in working with us to pursue what you deserve.
Our law firm has a track record of success representing dog bite victims in Virginia, including many dog bite cases involving child victims. Some examples of past cases include:
- $300,000 awarded after a woman was mauled by two bull mastiffs
- $160,000 awarded after a child was attacked by a playmate’s dog
- $125,000 awarded to a 12-year-old bitten in the face by a neighbor’s dog
Want to learn more about your options during a free consultation with an Alexandria, VA, dog bite lawyer? Then reach out to us today to get started.
What Are the Animal Control Laws in Alexandria?
Virginia does not have a statewide leash law. Instead, the Code of Virginia allows local governments to enact their own regulations. The Alexandria Code of Ordinances includes a number of municipal laws related to dogs, such as:
- Dogs are not permitted to run at large, including at public parks and playgrounds. Dogs must be on a physical restraint, such as a leash or lead. – Sec. 5-7-32
- Dogs may be unleashed in designated dog exercise areas. – Sec. 5-7-35
- Dogs found to be “dangerous or vicious” must obtain a dangerous dog registration certificate. – Sec. 5-7-36(g)
- Dangerous dogs must be confined indoors or in a secure, locked enclosure while on the owner’s property. – Sec. 5-7-36(i)
- Owners of dangerous dogs must notify animal control if the dog gets loose, bites a person, attacks another animal, or is sold, given away, or dies. – Sec. 5-7-36(l)
Does Virginia Follow the One-Bite Rule?
Many states use a doctrine known as strict liability in dog bite cases, meaning a dog’s owner is usually liable by default for any injuries their dog causes. Virginia does as well, with a caveat known as the “one-bite rule.”
In essence, the one-bite rule means you can hold a dog’s owner strictly liable, but only if the owner knew or reasonably should have known that the dog had previously attacked someone.
The rule can be frustrating for people who have suffered dog bite injuries, as it raises the bar for recovering compensation. However, there could be ways around the one-bite rule, such as if the dog’s owner was negligent in a way that led to the attack. Our experienced dog bite lawyers can help you develop a strategy to recover compensation for your injuries.
How Is Liability Shown When a Dog Never Attacked Before?
Even with the one-bite rule, there are two principal ways to hold a dog’s owner liable for your injuries. The first is to show the dog’s owner acted negligently and that their negligence led to your injuries. For instance, if the dog’s owner knew the dog was aggressive, even if the dog had not bitten anyone before you, then the owner should have taken precautions to prevent the dog from harming anyone.
The second approach you can use if a dog has not bitten anyone before is called negligence per se. Essentially, negligence per se means a dog’s owner is automatically negligent if they broke a law specifically meant to prevent dog attacks. An example of negligence per se is if a dog is off a leash in a public area in Alexandria and subsequently attacks someone. In this case, the owner broke the law and could therefore be negligent per se.
What If the Owner Insists That I Caused the Attack?
If a dog has bitten you, you can expect the dog’s owner to argue you provoked it in an attempt to avoid having to compensate you for your injuries.
If a dog’s owner claims you prompted the dog to attack you, you will need strong evidence of the owner’s negligence to win your case. An Alexandria dog bite attorney can help you find the evidence you need, which may include:
- Medical records
- Eyewitness accounts
- Expert testimony
- Your account of the incident
The sooner you meet with our attorneys after a dog attack, the more we can do to build your case and increase your chances of recovering compensation.
What Compensation Can I Recover in a Virginia Dog Bite Case?
Compensation in a Virginia dog bite case may include money for:
- Any medical expenses related to the attack, including the cost of future care
- Post-traumatic stress or other emotional distress
- Physical pain
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earnings due to an injury or disability
- Diminished quality of life
Our Alexandria dog bite lawyers can provide more information on how much you could recover for your injuries.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Virginia?
It is crucial to act quickly after a dog bite to protect your right to compensation. Under Virginia law, you have two years from the date you suffered your injuries to file a lawsuit against the dog’s owner. If you try to file suit after the two-year deadline, the courts will likely dismiss your case, and you will lose your right to compensation.
Contacting our Alexandria dog bite lawyers as soon as possible is the best way to avoid any issues with the statute of limitations. Plus, contacting our lawyers early in the process makes it more likely that we will be able to secure valuable evidence before it disappears or memories fade.
Contact an Alexandria Dog Bite Lawyer Today
You could have the right to compensation after someone else’s dog bites you, and our Alexandria dog bite lawyers want to help you demand the money you need. Contact Marks & Harrison today for a free consultation with an Alexandria dog bite attorney.
