If you suffered a dog bite injury, then you may want to pursue legal action to recover damages. These damages can assist in covering costs related to your injury. It may be challenging to attempt to seek compensation while you are also healing from the injuries you have suffered, though. Therefore, you may want to have a Nevada dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm work with you on your case. You can contact our firm at (800) 816-0755 and someone from our team will be able to explain the ways our attorneys can help you. Call for a free consultation today.
Injuries from a Dog Bite
A dog bite can cause several different types of injuries, both externally and internally. Understanding the injuries which can occur can help you understand just how severe these sorts of attacks can be. Some examples of injuries are:
Torn Skin and Puncture Wounds
Dogs tend to have very sharp teeth, which are naturally intended to firmly grip onto whatever they are biting. This means that when a dog bites a person, it is very easy for the dog to tear and puncture a person’s skin. These injuries can be very dangerous and could require treatment such as skin grafts and stitches.
Broken Bones
Dogs have very strong jaws which allow for them to exert a large amount of force onto the things that they bite. As such, when a dog bites someone, they can usually cause that person to suffer a broken bone. These broken bones can take several months to heal, even if a person wears a cast or undergoes surgery to correct any internal damage.
Infections
A dog’s mouth is full of many different types of bacteria due to their natural biology and behavioral habits. As such, dog bites come with a high risk of infection, especially if the bite punctured the skin. If an infection occurs, then it may require extensive medical treatment and antibiotics to take care of it.
Nevada Dog Bite Injury Law
Nevada is different from many other states regarding how it handles its dog bites. There is no specific “dog bite statute” which applies state-wide. Rather, dog bite laws fall under Nevada’s negligence laws, as based on the legal precedent established with Harry v. Smith, 893 P.2d 372 (1995). However, there are some certain aspects of dog bite injuries in Nevada to be aware of, such as:
“One Bite” Rules
In Nevada, a dog owner is not automatically liable for a dog bite if their dog has never bitten someone previously. However, after that first bite, the dog will legally be considered “vicious” or “dangerous.” This then opens up the dog owner to potential liability if their dog bites someone again. The cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, and the unincorporated areas of Clark County make use of such rules and also require both a dog’s owner and the bite victim to report any bite incidents to their city or county Health Officer or an Animal Control Officer.
Dangerous and Vicious Dogs
Nevada law considers any dog which has behaved menacingly towards others twice in the last 18 months when not provoked and off of a leash to be “dangerous.” These dogs are not illegal to own but do require certain steps to be taken by the owner, including:
- Obtaining a permit from an Animal Regulation Officer
- Keeping their dog muzzled and leashed when out in public
- Placing warnings signs which include their name and phone number around their property
- Spaying, neutering, and microchipping their dog
Vicious dogs are ones that have either continued to behave menacingly after being found dangerous or have caused substantial bodily harm or even death to another person. It is illegal for someone to own a vicious dog in Nevada. Being bitten by either a dangerous or vicious dog in Nevada can make the dog’s owner subject to being liable for the injuries.
Negligence and Negligence “Per Se”
A dog owner who acts negligently can be found to be responsible for a dog bite injury. For example, if a dog owner allows for their dog to be around a small child unsupervised and the dog bites the child, then they may be liable for the injury even if their dog had not bitten anyone before.
There is also negligence per se laws, which in Nevada means that a dog owner is automatically considered negligent if their dog bites someone while they were violating local or state animal control laws. This is especially prudent for dog bites that involve dangerous and vicious dogs.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 816-0755
Working with a Nevada Dog Bite Lawyer
There are several ways in which a Nevada dog bite lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you with your case, such as by:
Determining Appropriate Ordinances
It can be confusing to try and figure out which specific local and state ordinances apply to your dog bite injury case on your own. A dog bite injury lawyer will be able to have access to the resources required to determine which laws your case falls under based on where it took place, and what type of dog it involved.
Showing Negligence
A dog bite injury lawyer will also help in showing that the dog’s owner acted negligently. This can include doing research into if the dog had bitten anyone before, was found to be dangerous or vicious, if the dog owner had acted unreasonably, and if any animal control laws were being violated by the owner. A lawyer will also be able to access past records and gather eyewitness testimony to provide further evidence.
Work with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Today
You do not need to go through your dog bite injury case alone. Rather, you can choose to work with a Nevada dog bite lawyer from the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Don’t hesitate to call our team at (800) 816-0755 to learn more about what our team can do for you.
Call or text (800) 816-0755 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form