Dog bites and attacks by a dog can cause extremely serious injuries including puncture wounds, infections, and cuts or lacerations leaving scars. Sometimes dog bites include being mauled, resulting in disfigurement or even death. Because you can be at risk of rabies or other serious infections from a dog bite, it is important to seek treatment immediately and report a dog bite.
Legal fees are “Contingency” –You don’t pay a penny until we win your case.
If you have been bitten or attacked by a dog, call for a free consultation to have all your dog bite questions and concerns answered. Attorney Shute has the experience and a history of success with dog bite cases. Let his experience work for you. A contingency fee is a fixed percentage of the amount of the settlement or a jury verdict. When you call Attorney Shute, he will discuss with you how the dog bite has affected your life both physically and emotionally, how the dog bite happened and what the important steps are for your legal case. He represents only injured people like you, against the big money insurance corporate interests.
The Strict Liability Law for Dog Bites in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the law is that the owner or keeper of the dog is strictly liable for the harm caused by his or her dog unless the victim was trespassing, teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog. For children under age seven at the time of the dog bite, it is presumed that there was no trespassing or provocation. It is not a defense if the dog has never bitten before and it is not a defense if the dog was on a leash. The only exception is trespassing or provoking by teasing, tormenting or abusing of the dog. The insurance company will try to minimize you harm, investigate the dog bite incident and question the facts surrounding your case. That is why it is so important to speak with Attorney Shute about the complex issues surrounding owner and keeper of the dog. In some cases if a property owner allows a tenant to keep a dog that the property owner knows is dangerous, the property owner can be held responsible
When You Call Atty. Robert Shute your calls will be promptly returned, and your questions answered. 413-592-0999
The Statute of Limitations is the legal time limit for settling your case or filing a lawsuit.
Calling Atty. Shute immediately is crucial in order to avoid receiving the unfortunate news that you had a viable case to receive compensation for your harm but you are past the time limit.
- Broken bones
- Dog bite with injury or sprain to ligaments, muscles, and other tissue
- Twisting of a leg from dog attack with a fall to the ground
- Dog bite with a wound that requires surgery sutures or stitches
- Dog teeth punctures causing scarring
- Pain, bruises or swelling at the site of the dog bite
- Emotional trauma from being bitten or attacked by a dog
- Head, neck, back, arm pain from a dog attack
- Falling from being knocked over by a dog
- Disfigurement from vicious dog attack and dog bite
- Series of rabies shots after a dog bite
- Dog bites on face causing facial scars
- Dog bites on face causing nerve damage and paralysis
Call Any Time
(413) 592-0999
Attorney Shute offers a free consultation for you to discuss the particulars of what you experienced and how the law applies to your injury. The consultation can be by phone, in person or by video conference and can be scheduled during or after normal business hours.
The American Veterinary Medical Association 2014 study on Serious Dog Bite Injury by Breed showed the German Shepherd, Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Jack Russell Terrier and Chow Chow breeds are most likely to cause a serious bite.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that most rabies deaths in people around the world are caused by dog bites. The Rabies virus infection attacks the central nervous system causing death. The CDC advises that if a healthy dog bites a person the dog should be confined and observed daily.
Psychological Impact of a Dog Bite Attack
Larger dogs cause more damage when they bite, but some of the smaller dog breeds or toy breeds like Shih Tsu, Springer Spaniel and Lhasa Apso also can inflict a harm. The American Veterinary Medical Association has reported that 38.4 percent of households in the United States own a dog. The CDC has reported that about 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States with 1 out of 5 bites becoming infected.
While many dogs are well behaved and loved by their owners, dogs can become aggressive, causing serious physical harm. The CDC has reported that children are more likely than adults to be bitten by a dog and their injuries are usually more severe. Children are more likely to have head, face and neck injuries. Studies have shown that up to one-third of head and neck trauma is caused by pit bull terriers. It is possible for children and adults to suffer from the posttraumatic stress following a dog bite event and the physical injury of a dog bite. The National Institutes of Health has case reports that show when children are exposed to a life-threatening event, they often have PTSD. Some victims experience being afraid of dogs. If you get treatment from a clinician, health counselor, or therapist because a dog bite is affecting activities of daily living including sleep or other emotional consequences as a result of dog bite trauma, this can be a part of your legal case.
Call Now: 413-592-0999, Days, Evenings or Weekends for your Free Case Evaluation with Atty. Robert Shute.
Free Case Evaluation
Call Now
Call Now: 413-592-0999, Days, Evenings or Weekends for your Free Case Evaluation with Atty. Robert Shute.