Search Site
A vicious bulldog recently bit an eight-year-old Westfield boy on the arm. Officials say that doctors may not be able to save the boy’s arm.
The young boy, whose name was not released, was letting the dog in the house when the dog bite occurred. The boy’s father said that the dog has “territorial issues,” and asked that the dog be removed and euthanized.
Dog Bite Statistics
Dogs bite 4.5 million Americans each year. 800,000 of these victims seek medical treatment for their injuries. Two-thirds of the injured victims are children under age four. In most states, the victim must prove that the dog owner was negligent and that this negligence caused the injury. Many states even have so-called “first bite laws,” which state that a dog owner is immune to a negligence suit if the dog has never bitten before. However, Massachusetts is different.
Massachusetts Law
In an animal attack case, many insurance companies like to claim that the victim provoked the dog and deny coverage. Since Massachusetts law holds dog owners strictly liable for their animals, a comparative fault defense usually does not hold up in court. In fact, such a defense is generally not available at all if the victim is younger than seven.
Arguably, a dog may not even have to bite the victim. For example, a vicious dog could cause a child to fall off a bicycle or run into traffic and cause an accident. Even if there is a leash law, owner negligence is very difficult to prove in these circumstances.
We take dog bite injuries very seriously at Feinberg and Alban, and always encourage responsible dog ownership.
Feinberg & Alban, P.C. fervently protects your rights
Client Reviews
-
5.0/5.0I just wanted to drop a quick note to say thank you to Santora Colleen for securing such a great outcome on my wife case. We really appreciate all your hard work, the way you handled the negotiations, and how you kept us informed every step of the wa...
-
5.0/5.0
Colleen has been incredibly thoughtful, supportive, and professional throughout every step of our case. She guided us carefully through the process, always taking the time to answer our questions and ensure we understood our options. She consistently...
-
5.0/5.0
I had the pleasure of working with Attorney Colleen Santora after I was involved in a car accident. She was very attentive, professional, and courteous throughout our entire case involvement. I appreciate everything she did to help me. She is wonderf...
-
5.0/5.0
I was in a terrible car accident. I was referred to Colleen by a friend. She is amazing! Answered my every call, text and fought for me. Being a hairdresser for 40yrs it was horrible trying to cut hair with a broken hand, but in the end Colleen got m...
-
5.0/5.0
Colleen Santora is an outstanding attorney. I reached out to her after I was hit by a car as a pedestrian and she walked me through every step of the process with clarity and patience. She’s a fantastic communicator, extremely responsive and alway...
Choose a location to review
Feinberg & Alban PC Law office locations:
Awards & Affiliations
Contact us
