Practice Areas
Dog Bites
Dog bites, while rare, can cause severe injuries – particularly among children. In fact, the only fatalities from dog bites during the past several decades in Nebraska have occurred in young children. An aggressive dog is more prone to attack someone it perceives as smaller – and a child may not understand the best way to approach an animal safely.
If you or a family member was bitten by someone else's dog anywhere in Nebraska, including Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, Norfolk, Columbus, Scottsbluff, Ogallala and Offutt Air Force Base, call Dyer Law toll free at 1-888-393-7529 or contact us via email. The attorneys of Dyer Law take dog bite injuries very seriously and we're ready to help with a free initial consultation.
At Dyer Law, we know that most pet owners are responsible and keep their dogs humanely restrained or confined to avoid tragic accidents. However, not all pet owners understand the risk their animals pose. Nor do all pet owners appreciate that certain dog breeds are more likely to launch an unexpected attack. The town of Osceola, Nebraska passed a ban in June 2008 on vicious dog breeds because of their increased risk for injury. These breeds include:
- American pit bull terriers
- Staffordshire bull terriers
- American Staffordshire terriers
- Chows
- Dobermans
- Rottweilers
- American bandogge mastiffs
- Neapolitan mastiffs
Omaha has recently changed its laws to require insurance to be carried by owners of pit bulls and other dangerous dogs.
Some states have what is called a “one-bite” rule – meaning that dog owners aren’t held liable for the first attack by their dog, if the animal has never bitten anyone or displayed dangerous behavior before. However, in Nebraska, dog owners are liable for any injuries caused by their dogs to anyone except for trespassers, unless it can be proven that the victim deliberately provoked the animal.
After a dog attack, your first priority is to secure medical attention, because dog bites can be extremely damaging – and you don’t know whether the animal was rabid or suffered from other contagious diseases. Here are the steps you should take after a dog bite or attack.
- Seek medical care – and inform the doctor or EMT that your injuries were caused by a dog bite so they can watch for signs of infection.
- Inform the owner of the dog.
- If possible, have someone photograph your injuries and the dog for documentation purposes (particularly if you don’t know the identity of the dog’s owner).
- Report the attack to police and the local humane society. Some people are reluctant to do this because they fear the animal will be destroyed – but your actions may result in the owner putting additional security measures in place that will prevent someone else from suffering injuries in the future.
Once you have received medical care, contact the dog bite attorneys at Dyer Law. While Nebraska legal statutes are very clear on owner responsibility for dog bites, the law is less clear regarding homeowner insurance coverage for attacks. In general, homeowner’s insurance will cover dog bite claims – but only up to the limit of coverage purchased by the homeowner. With the exception of Omaha, owners of dogs known for aggressive tendencies are under no legal obligation to purchase liability coverage – and some lack insurance altogether. If your child is hurt by a pit bull owned by someone without homeowner’s insurance, you may be left without means to recover damages to pay your child’s medical bills.
At Dyer Law, we hold negligent dog owners responsible. We believe all pet owners have a duty to properly and safely care for their animals – and that means making sure that dogs aren’t free to cause bites or other injuries. We review all relevant insurance policies to determine the most appropriate source for compensation, so that you aren’t hurt a second time with the hospital bill.
The attorneys at Dyer Law understand how to handle dog bite injury cases. We’ve represented clients throughout Nebraska, including Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Buffalo, Hall, Lincoln – and we’re ready to help you. Dyer Law offers prospective clients an initial case evaluation for FREE in person or over the phone. Contact us seven days a week by calling 1-888-393-7529 or via email.
