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Even a dog that’s known to have a gentle nature can lash out and bite someone when it is startled or feels threatened. When that bite leaves a deep wound or causes long-lasting scarring or disability, the victim has a right under Colorado law to recover substantial damages from the dog’s owners.
If you suffered serious dog bite injuries, call Arckey & Steele, Attorneys at Law, to speak with a Denver catastrophic dog bite lawyer about what compensation you could be entitled to claim from the dog’s owners. Our dog bite attorneys could pursue your case through aggressive settlement negotiations or jury trials to try to recover the largest available damages award for the harm that you experienced.
Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-21-124 characterizes a dog bite as a strict liability injury. To recover damages, you do not need to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent or that the dog had bitten someone previously. If you were lawfully on public or private property when the dog attacked, you could sue to recover reimbursement for any economic damages that you incur because of the bite.
However, there are exceptions in Colorado’s dog bite law, for example, if you taunted the dog or were trespassing on private property. Under the state’s modified comparative negligence standards, those exceptions might not preclude recovery of all damages, but there will be a reduction in your damages award in proportion to the level of your fault. Also, if you were more than 50 percent at fault, you will not be entitled to any damages reimbursement. If you have questions about the damages you might recover after a serious dog bite, consult an experienced Denver attorney, who could assess the facts of your case.
Colorado’s strict liability treatment of dog bites enables you to recover compensation for any direct economic losses associated with your injuries, including your medical costs and expenses, lost wages, and transportation costs for medical and therapy appointments. A Denver attorney could also help you recover non-economic damages for your pain and suffering and other indirect losses after a catastrophic dog bite if the facts of your case show that the dog’s owner was negligent.
A dog’s owners are negligent if they fail to exercise reasonable care to manage and control their dog. Under local leash laws, for example, an owner is obligated to keep their dog on a lead in public spaces unless the space is a designated leash-free area. Other examples of negligence that can lead to a dog bite injury include:
Our lawyers have handled many dog bite cases over the years, ranging from minor injuries to serious harm, so you can rest assured that your case is in the right hands.
Catastrophic dog bite injuries include deep gashes, broken or crushed bones, internal organ injuries, and any other harm that may leave permanent scarring or disability. When a dog bites you, your top priority is to receive prompt medical attention and to confirm that the attacking dog was current on all required vaccinations.
Once your injuries are stabilized, you should promptly call a knowledgeable catastrophic dog bite lawyer in Denver to recover the damages you deserve. You have two years to take legal action, but you will always have a better opportunity to collect compensation if you act promptly, while the facts of your case are still fresh.
A Denver catastrophic dog bite lawyer at Arckey & Steele, Attorneys at Law, loves and appreciates dogs, but we also believe that dog owners bear responsibility for their pets’ actions. If you are a victim of a serious dog bite, call our office today. We could fight tirelessly to try to get you the largest damages award available.