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Now, the truth is that not a lot of Canadians would take the matter seriously, as they would rather believe that it’s something not worth much of attention. However, dog bites are definitely a substantial risk factor, to say the least. Just for your quick reference – an estimated one person is being bitten by a dog in Canada every single minute. More than 500,000 cases are reported per year.
While not each animal attack is going to end with significant issues, the stress of the occurrence itself could have long-lasting effects and developments of certain phobias and deep fears. With this in mind, if you are injured by someone else’s dog, you might as well have a claim against him in court. That’s definitely something that you should be aware of.
The Insurance Coverage
When it comes to it, dog bites are most usually covered by the home insurance policy of the owner. It can be extended to bites which occur away from the house of the owner. This means that if the owner has an insurance coverage at all and you have been bitten by his dog, you might engage his insurance company to compensate your issues. Keep in mind that back in 2001, the State Farm insurance company managed to report that it had received, at the time, a total of 25 claims throughout the entire year. It doesn’t seem like something considerable when you compare that to the numbers that we gave you right? Well, consider this – they paid a total of $917,670 in compensation and are only one out of hundreds insurance companies that exist.
The Governing Law
The law which should be accounted for in this specific situation is the Dog Owners’ Liability Act. It sets out the law and provides thorough regulation. With this in mind, it is also important to understand that there is a clause for strict liability, which means that the law doesn’t really care whether the dog owner has been present at the time of the attack or not. While this might sound a bit odd, there is also a clause governing and setting forth contributory negligence. What is this? Well, this is in case the plaintiff in a dog bite case has actually caused the attack or his actions, to a certain or full extent, contributed for the attack. This is particularly convenient and fair, considering that people are often the main catalyst of attacks then the liability may not be on the dog owner. This is an important aspect to consider.
There are quite a lot of things that should be taken into account when it comes to lawsuits. Of course, it is best if you rely on a professional personal injury lawyer. Hiring their service will ensure that you have the right legal counsel and guidance.