Legal Question in Personal Injury in Florida
Walking my dog on a leash, neighbor came out and stopped me in middle of street to ask a question. I stood back with my two dogs on the leash and had them under control. I answered the neighbor, she is elderly and could not hear me, as she stated " I can not hear you, " and then she walked toward me within range of my dog, my dog then jumped on my neighbor and my dog then stood up to put its 2 front paws on her, knocking her off balance, my dogs head, hit her jaw, knocking her lip into her tooth, chipping a small piece of front tooth and injuring her lip. I then treated her lip and she went to the dentist. She admitted dog was not aggressive, but jumped up on her when she walked over to me quickly, which I was not expecting. I offered to help pay for her front tooth to be bonded. She is now up to over $800 so she states. What are my rights?
1 Answer from Attorneys
If you have homeowner's insurance that has liability or bodily injury coverage, I would notify them and let them handle it. You are pretty much absolutely responsible for the damages.
767.01 Dog owner�s liability for damages to persons, domestic animals, or livestock.�Owners of dogs shall be liable for any damage done by their dogs to a person or to any animal included in the definitions of �domestic animal� and �livestock� as provided by s. 585.01.