Is There An Insurance Coverage For Dog Bites Claims?

There are different types of personal injury cases as per the regulations set forth in the legal provisions of the province of Ontario. From car accidents to medical malpractice, the list goes on and on. One of the most stressful, though, is dog attacks. The reasons for this are numerous.

Dog bites are usually caused by particularly vicious animals. Being involved in a situation of the kind in which an animal is angrily attacking you and causing you tremendous pain is one of the most stressful things that one could go through. What is more, there are quite a few cases in which attacks of the kind have actually resulted in death – something which is even more troublesome. With this in mind, a very serious question arises – who is responsible for it and how would the victim get compensated?

Insurance Coverage – The Things To Consider

Under the Ontario’s legislation, home owners have their property insured. This means that if something happens and a third party gets injured because of their property or on it, they would be capable of recovering the compensation from the insurance company. Luckily enough, homeowner’s insurance also covers dog bites, so the claim could be directed to the latter.

Considerations To Account For

However, this is not always the case and in certain situations the coverage itself is going to be subjected to significant alterations. In certain situations, the victim may also be liable for causing the injury in the first place. This is something known as the institute of contributory negligence. Just like in car accidents when the insurance company is going to conduct an investigation in order to determine the amount of fault to allocate, negligence needs to be determined in dog attack cases.

With this in mind, you should know that if you are the one who caused the dog to bite you by threatening it or by taunting it willingly, your compensation might get significantly reduced and this is a serious consideration. However, the Dog Owner’s Liability Act of Ontario set forth back in December,1990 also enforces the so called strict liability. This means that regardless of how liable the victim might be, the owner of the dog can’t get out of responsibility. However, it is best to consult an injury lawyer and get your case evaluated irrespective of whether you are the defendant or the plaintiff.

As you can see, the case is far from being a straightforward and an easy one. This is the main reason for which the need for a personal injury lawyer with a specialization in dog bites could be particularly helpful. Finding a professional lawyer is definitely going to help you out significantly and it will provide you with a sense of security and accomplishment. With many legal firms and law offices in Ontario, it won’t be difficult to find a competent lawyer to help you.