Legal Question in Personal Injury in Ohio
Owners rights when a dog bites someone
Do I have any rights being a dog owner when my dog has bit someone? If the person has refused treatment and a certain amount of time has passed, can they still sue me or hold me liable? And lastly, do I have the right to ask for proof of his medical treatment if I don't have a lawyer?
The dog reacted and as the person's raised hand was coming down, I believe, it caught the dog's tooth. There was a small wound on the palm-side of the hand below the thumb. We offered to take the person to emergency and pay any medical costs. He refused repeatedly. They stayed for about 3 hours longer drinking beer and eating pizza.I had cleaned and bandaged the wound.I asked if he felt better going to have it checked. He refused again. I have kept in contact over the week that it happened.I was assured many times he was fine and not to worry.One week later I received a call from his girlfriend saying he missed work all week and they weren't sure how they were going to make ends meet. 3 days earlier,they said everything was fine and never mentioned him missing any work.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Owners rights when a dog bites someone
My first question is do you have homeowner's or renter's insurance? If so, any liability you may have may be covered under the policy. The insurance company will investigate the claim and, if a lawsuit is filed against you, the insurance company will provide a defense for you, including a lawyer.
The answer to whether the person can file a lawsuit against you is yes. The statute of limitations for negligence is two years from the date of the negligence. Any lawsuit must be filed within that time period.
If you do not have homeowners or renters insurance, I would advise you to retain your own attorney to represent you if you are named in a lawsuit. In a lawsuit, even if you are unrepresented, you can request all information that the person has regarding his damages.
If you have any further questions, please contact me at 614-464-4644.
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