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Rhode Island Dog Bite Personal Injury Lawyer

When it comes to attacks by dogs, Rhode Island law is very strict. The owner or keeper of a dog is strictly liable for personal injuries, scarring, and wrongful death caused by a dog bite or dog attack. If you or your child has been attacked by a dog, you may have a right to receive compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and more.

Rhode Island dog bite injury lawyer S. Joshua Macktaz is a civil litigator concentrating in the prosecution and defense of personal injury liability claims including dog bites, animal attacks, and insurance matters. Attorney Macktaz represented a wide variety of individuals and businesses and appears regularly before the state and federal courts in Rhode Island. This extensive experience working on both sides of an injury claim negotiation provides Rhode Island Dog Attack Attorney Macktaz with unique experience to provide you with exception representation in your injury case.

Contact Rhode Island Dog Bite Attorney Joshua Macktaz by Email or call today at (401) 861-1155.

Dog Bite Injuries and Animal Attacks

It is necessary to prove that the defendant was the owner or keeper of the dog. It is not necessary to prove that the dog has caused personal injury before, or that the dog is vicious, though it is well known that some breeds, like the pit bull, may attack even when unprovoked. The injured person must show that he or she was not teasing or tormenting the dog, and that trespassing was not involved.

Fortunately, most dog bite, dog attack, and other animal bite injuries are covered by homeowner’s insurance. In Rhode Island, homeowner’s insurance covers liability (bodily injury) and sometimes provides medical payments coverage to the person injured by the dog bite or dog attack. If you are the owner or keeper of a dog, you should check with your insurance company to see that the dog is covered, and if not, should consider switching insurance companies.

There are several legal avenues for establishing liability in dog bite cases.

1. Common law. Traditionally, many states followed the “one-bite rule," which was derived from court decisions rather than explicit laws. Under common law principles, a dog owner is responsible for a bite or attack if the owner had reason to believe that the dog was likely to cause that type of injury. Basically, the rule allows “one bite” before a dog owner is expected to know that the dog is potentially dangerous.
2. Dog bite statutes. Many states, including Rhode Island, have replaced the common law with statutes that address dog bites. Rhode Island’s dog bite law, G.L. § 4-13-16, holds dog owners strictly liable for any injury -- including a bite or other wound -- that occurs outside the dog's enclosure. Under that law, the dog's owner or keeper may be held liable for any injuries even though he or she is not at fault for the incident. The Rhode Island law also requires the dog owner to pay double damages -- and put the animal down -- when a second attack occurs outside the dog's pen or enclosure.
3. Negligence theory. Even when the statute does not apply, a dog owner may be responsible for a dog bite or attack that occurs because the owner was unreasonably careless or negligent in controlling the dog.

Dog bite attorney S. Joshua Macktaz has handled several Rhode Island dog bites, dog attack, and other animal bite injuries, including personal injuries for children and adults and has achieved millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. Put this experience to work for you today.

Contact Rhode Island Dog Bite Personal Injury Attorney Joshua Macktaz by Email or call today at (401) 861-1155.

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   § 4-13-16  Action for damages to animals – Double damages on second recovery – Destruction of offending dog. – If any dog kills, wounds, worries, or assists in killing, wounding or worrying, any sheep, lamb, cattle, horse, hog, swine, fowl, or other domestic animal belonging to or in the possession of any person, or assaults, bites, or otherwise injures any person while traveling the highway or out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper of that dog, the owner or keeper of the dog shall be liable to the person aggrieved, for all damage sustained, to be recovered in a civil action, with costs of suit. If afterwards any such damage is done by that dog, the owner or keeper of the dog shall pay to the party aggrieved double the damage, to be recovered in the manner set forth and an order shall be made by the court before whom that second recovery is made, for killing the dog. The order shall be executed by the officer charged with the execution of the order, and it shall not be necessary, in order to sustain this action, to prove that the owner or keeper of the dog knew that the dog was accustomed to causing this damage.

Contact the Rhode Island Dog Bite Personal Injury Law Firm of Joshua Macktaz by Email or call today at (401) 861-1155 and we will respond to you as soon as possible.

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