Dog Bites

There are two primary statutes in Florida that hold the owners of dogs responsible for the actions of their dogs.

Florida Statute 767.01 states:

“Owners of dogs shall be liable for any damage done by their dogs to a person”

Florida Statute 767.04 states:

“The owner of any dog that bites any person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owners’ knowledge of such viciousness.”

Despite the statutes holding the owners responsible the insurance companies will still fight these claims on the issue of what is your claim worth.

You should also be aware that more and more homeowner’s policies in Florida are excluding coverage for dogs, and more have separate limitations on dog bites.

Dog owners may also be liable for other aggressive actions of a dog even though no actual bite occurred.

I would be happy to discuss your case with you, please call me so that I can explain your rights to you.