HOMEOWNER RESPONSIBLE – DOG BITE LAWYERS MN

Our dog bite lawyers handle many cases every year. Therefore, we have seen many different types of situations and injuries. In Minnesota, the law is pretty straightforward about dog bite responsibility. First, the dog owner is responsible. Second, anyone “harboring” or “keeping” the dog is responsible. But what does harboring and keeping mean? Harboring means the dog lives with the homeowner, even if the homeowner doesn’t own the dog. Keeping means someone other than the own has control of the dog. For example, someone walking the dog, dogsitting the dog, a groomer, etc. Our dog bite lawyers occassionally have cases where there is a dispute as to whether somone other than the dog owner is responsible.

One interesting case that came up recently involves an elderly homeowner. He had a caretaker living with him and the caretaker agreed to take in a friend’s dog. When the dog attacked our client, who was visiting the house, our client was seriously injured. Unfortunately, the dog owner did not have insurance. Therefore, we sued the homeowner. However, the insurance company claimed that the elderly homeowner did not consent to having the dog live with him. In fact, they claimed that the elderly man has cognitive difficulties and could not consent.

The question is whether the homeowner is harboring the dog even if he isn’t really making his own decisions. Of course, our dog bite lawyers say that he is still responsible because it is his house. We don’t know the outcome of this case yet, but will post an update later.

DOG BITE ATTORNEY

If you have been bitten by a dog, call us for a free consultation with a lawyer. Our top dog bite attorneys have more than 25 years’s experience representing dog bite victims throughout Minnesota. In fact, we have recovered millions of dollars to help people with medical expenses and compensation for severe scarring.

Our dog bite lawyers can meet with you at our offices in Edina, Minneapolis, and Woodbury. We also come to people’s homes throughout Minnesota or by Zoom. A top dog bite lawyer will answer your questions and explain your rights. Most importantly, we make sure you get the compensation you are entitled to. The starting point for dog bite compensation is medical bills and future treatment. However, in most cases, compensation for scarring is the biggest factor. Particularly with a child, scars can have a lifetime of impact.