Animal attacks and animal-related injuries

Animal attacks and animal-related injuries can give rise to unique Georgia personal injury and wrongful death claims.  The chief part of being an animal owner is being responsible for the animal’s maintenance and behavior.  With the appreciation of the potential harms that can be caused due to unchecked animals, the Georgia state legislature has long-recognized the need for particular laws to govern the ownership and keeping of certain animals.  For instance, O.C.G.A. § 4-8-1 et. seq. regulates citizens’ possession of dangerous dogs.  Similarly, O.C.G.A. § 4-12-1 et. seq. limits liability that can be imposed against equine (horse) owners for injuries arising out of the handling of horses.  And O.C.G.A. § 4-3-1 et. seq. establishes responsibilities for livestock owners (such as the imposition of liability upon owners who permit livestock to roam at large or to stray onto public roads).

Regrettably, animal attacks often involve children.  If a victim of an animal attack is an infant or youth, the complexity of the animal attack case can grow both legally and factually.  In that case, specialized representation is crucial.

In animal liability cases, prompt investigation into an owner’s prior history or an animal’s disposition or vicious propensity is important.  While this is true for the purpose of establishing legal liability for an individual’s civil damages, perhaps more importantly, timely action is essential to the quick and decisively elimination of an ongoing threat posed to the public at large by a dangerous animal.  The Dow Firm, P.C. has served and will continue to serve as an instrument of public safety in the prosecution of animal attack and animal-related injury claims.