The State of Oklahoma has enacted strict liability laws to protect its citizens from dangerous and vicious dogs.
If someone lawfully present in a public or private place in Muskogee and sustains Oklahoma dog bite injuries due to an unprovoked attack, the owner of such a dog is liable for those injuries.
A “dangerous dog” is a dog that has severely injured a person without provocation or has killed another dog.
The owner of a dangerous dog is penalized by state statute if the dog attacks a victim who is on public property at the time of the attack or who is lawfully on private property at the time of the attack.
FAQ: Oklahoma Dog Bite Injuries
Dangerous dogs must be secured in a crate or cage that follows the measurements dictated by law. A dangerous dog may be removed from the enclosure only if it is restrained by both a leash and a muzzle. An owner of a dangerous dog must also post $50,000 in liability insurance to be permitted to keep a dangerous dog on his property.
If the owner of a dangerous dog violates these directives, and the dangerous animal attacks and causes Oklahoma dog bite injuries, the owner can be jailed for a maximum of one year and fined a maximum of $5,000 (or both).
If the dog kills because of the owner’s violation of these rules, the owner can be imprisoned for a maximum of five years and fined $25,000 (or both).
In addition to these statutory penalties imposed upon the owner of the dog, you may sue for civil penalties if you have suffered from Oklahoma dog bite injuries.
Dog Bite Injuries and Negligence
Violation of the Oklahoma statutes regulating dangerous dogs is negligence per se. That means that you do not have to prove the elements of negligence to win a case of negligence against a dangerous dog owner – if you can show that he violated the statute, you can prove that he has been negligent and should compensated for your for your injuries.
Even if you cannot prove that the dog that bit you was a “dangerous dog,” or that the dog’s owner has violated any Oklahoma statutes in caring for the dog, you may still have a viable claim for personal injuries under a negligence theory.
The dog’s owner has a duty of care to act as a reasonable dog owner under the circumstances.
If you can show that he breached that duty of care in some way, e.g., letting an aggressive dog run through a park full of children without a leash, and his dog was the cause of injuries to you and your loved one, you may have a good claim for negligence.
A skilled Muskogee dog bite attorney can determine help you work out a settlement or file a claim for those injuries.
Initial Consultation: Muskogee Dog Bite Attorney
To find out more about a claim for a dog bite, contact the Muskogee dog bite attorney at the Personal Injury Law Office of Muskogee today.
For a Low-cost, no-obligation consultation, call 918-924-5528 or send your question using the email form on this page.
