Attorney D. Robin Gouveia, of d’Oliveira & Associates, recently negotiated a $300,000 dog bite settlement with Safety Insurance Company for a woman, who was injured as a result of a dog bite attack. The woman was attacked by a dog that was not on a leash. The woman suffered several lacerations to the face and chest. As a result, she ultimately had to undergo a series of injections for antibiotics and was prescribed pain medication due to the severity of the bites. She contacted the New Bedford, MA dog bite lawyers for help. Attorney Gouveia was able to obtain an out-of-court settlement for the client from the defendant’s liability insurer.
Attorney Gouveia commented on this case, stating, “The client suffered a severe dog bite injury. The injury was disfiguring. Under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since the client was not teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog, strict liability applies. We were able to determine the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance company and presented a claim. We monitored the healing and once matured, we were able to negotiate a final settlement.”
Many states handle dog bite cases differently. Most states, however, are either “negligence” or “strict liability” states when handling dog bites. In Massachusetts, it falls under a “strict liability” dog bite state. This means that dog owners are held responsible for injuries that their dogs cause, even if the owner did not know that the dog would bite or cause injury to another person. Massachusetts’s “strict liability” rule applies to both dog bites and other injuries caused by dogs. So, if a dog knocks a person down, or causes injury in any other way, but does not actually bite, the rule of “strict liability” still applies.
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a dog bite, contact one of our experienced New Bedford, MA dog bite lawyers located at 930 Kempton Street, New Bedford, MA 02740. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income and pain and suffering, among other losses. No fees are received unless you win an award or settlement. For a free (no obligation) case assessment, call us today at 508-984-8400 or toll free at 1-800-992-6878. You may also fill out a contact form online.
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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