Animal Attacks and Negligence Attorney Minnesota
Animal Bite Lawyer St. Paul, Minnesota
If you have been attacked or bitten by an animal, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against the owner or caretaker. Animal bites can be serious and result in debilitating pain, as well as lasting scars.
At Johnston | Martineau, PLLP,, we offer legal advocacy to victims of an animal bite. Our cases have included:
- Dog bites
- Domestic animal bites
- Zoo injuries
- Animal park injuries
- Other places of contact with animals
Regardless of what happened, talking to an animal bite lawyer in St. Paul, Minnesota may be the right place to start. A legal professional can provide some degree of insight regarding liability, negligence factors, the potential worth of your case (estimated), and how you might proceed.
In general, an animal bite case is addressed on the terms of strict liability. This means the owner can be held liable for any harm their animal caused to another person. There are exceptions to this. For example, if the victim provoked the animal in some way, they may lose their right to recover damages.
Animal Attacks and Negligence
The victim of an animal bite might also pursue legal action against an alleged at-fault party based upon the grounds of negligence. In a case like this, the victim, or their animal bite lawyer St. Paul, Minnesota respects, will need to prove the defendant was negligent in some way. Typically this means the defendant failed to exercise reasonable care for the safety of others. An example might be when an employee of an animal park had a duty to ensure the animals were properly managed, and kept within the boundaries of their cage. However, the employee failed to adhere to their duty, and one of the animals bit a visitor of the park. A situation like this would likely warrant the ability to pursue compensation.
Being Bitten While Trespassing
Typically, as our St. Paul, MN dog bite lawyers would explain to you, an injured person will likely not be able to file a claim if they were trespassing at the time of the bite. For example, if a burglar broke into a home and was bitten by a dog, they would almost certainly be defeated based upon the defense of trespassing.
Talk with an Animal Bite Lawyer in St. Paul, Minnesota
If a dog, or any other animal, without provocation attacks or injures a person who was acting in a peaceful manner, and in a place where they have a lawful right to be, the owner may be held liable. The amount of damages will usually be equal to the full amount of the injury sustained. The owner can include the actual owner, as well as any person boarding, harboring, or keeping the animal.
If you have been injured by an animal, you may be able to recover damages for medical care, prospective medical treatment, emotional trauma, pain, suffering, lost wages, and more. Call Johnston | Martineau, PLLP, today.