St. Paul, MN Dog Bite Lawyers

Minnesota Dog Bites & Homeowner's Insurance Claims

We live and work with dogs every day, so it's easy to forget that they're not just companions — they are predators that often have been bred for hunting or other dangerous work. When a large dog is not properly trained, left uncontrolled or abused, those predatory instincts can hurt or even kill human beings. When dogs attack, they can leave victims with broken bones, severe blood loss, infections or serious flesh wounds causing skin loss and organ damage. For many victims, this causes permanent scars both outside and in.

The St. Paul law firm of Krug & Zupke, P.C., represents clients who are seeking to recover financial compensation for their dog bite injuries. This includes families seeking to recover on behalf of their injured children — who unfortunately are the majority of dog attack victims. To tell us your story and discuss your legal rights with an experienced Minnesota dog attack lawyer, call us today at 651-645-7746 or send us a message through our website.

Twin Cities Dog Bite Lawyers

Any dog can bite, but the dogs that most often do serious damage are large, powerful dogs that come from "service breeds" — that is, they are bred to do work. Statistically, the breeds that bite most often are pit bull terriers, German shepherds, Rottweilers and dog breeds of similar size and power. Part of this has to do with the dogs' large size, which gives them the power and height to reach vulnerable parts of the human body. Another part has to do with their breeding; these are dogs prized for their work as police dogs, hunters, guard dogs and (illegally) in dogfighting, which encourages traits that make them unsafe.

Another major contributor to dog attacks is bad training, no training or even neglect and abuse by their humans. All dogs are territorial, an instinct that owners must control with training or strict controls on their dogs' interactions with strangers. They also have a social hierarchy, and they may try to dominate people they see as competition by attacking. Dogs trained to attack are also dangerous, of course. And dogs that have been neglected, abused or left to fend for themselves are not well socialized and may revert to dangerous territorial dominance behaviors. While not every dog attack is caused by factors humans can control, bad decisions by owners are a large factor.

Here in Minnesota, dog owners (and anyone keeping dogs temporarily) are legally responsible for any attacks by their dogs against a person who was "acting peaceably in a place where the person may lawfully be." This includes inside a private home the victim was freely invited into. There is no one free bite in our state, and dog owners may not defend themselves by arguing that the victim's own negligence contributed to the attack. They may raise a defense based on provocation, trespassing or failure to "act peaceably," but these rules may not apply when young children are victims.

Dog Bite Injuries

Statistically, most dog attack victims are children. Children are bitten more often because of their small size; their lack of sophistication around dogs; and their quick, unpredictable movements, which can make them look like prey to dogs. Adult dog bite victims include adults with jobs taking them into homes, such as delivery jobs or meter-reading, and sometimes older adults.

The majority of dog bite injuries are rips or tears to the flesh. Depending on the severity of the attack, these can range from superficial, though frightening, injuries to severe injuries with skin loss, blood loss or damage to underlying organs. Dogs also frequently cause crush injuries — broken bones, compressed nerves and organ damage. And in rare but serious cases, dog bites can cause infections that land victims in the hospital.

Very often, all of these injuries lead to disfiguring physical scars. This includes scars around the head and neck in young children, whose height makes it easy for dogs to reach their most vulnerable areas. Sometimes, these scars require a lot of follow-up care, whose cost can add up quickly. They often leave their victims looking different for life, which can be socially uncomfortable at any age and crippling in children. On top of this, children attacked by dogs may suffer emotional trauma: fear of dogs, acting out, regressing in age or withdrawing. Overcoming this may also require long-term care.

All of these treatments are very expensive, which is why so many dog attack victims come to our Minnesota dog bite attorneys about filing a claim. In many cases, victims can collect financial compensation from the homeowners or renters' insurance company for the owner of the dangerous dog, through a St. Paul dog bite lawsuit.

Free Consultation With Experienced St. Paul Dog Attack Lawyers

If you'd like to learn more about your legal rights and your options after an attack by a dangerous dog, don't wait to contact Krug & Zupke, P.C., for a free, confidential consultation. To learn more or set up a free consultation, call us today at 651-645-7746 or send us an email.