Not every province in Canada has the same set of rules, regarding who should be held responsible for a dog bite. In many provinces outside of Ontario, the dog’s owner remains completely free of responsibility, if the biting pet has never behaved violently in the past. On the other hand, if the owner knew about the dog’s tendency to engage in violent behavior, then he or she could still be held liable for any injury caused by the canine’s teeth.
Ontario’s Policy
In Ontario, the law makes the owner of a pet canine responsible for any injury that might be caused by that same pet, assuming that the owner had control of the pet that chose to act violently. If, instead, someone else had control of that particular biting canine, he or she would have to assume responsibility for any injury caused by the canine’s teeth.
Financial help for those that own violent pets
Obviously, those pet owners that get held liable for damage done by their pet’s actions need to pay for any harm to others that has resulted from such actions. Those that have purchased some type of homeowner’s insurance have access to some useful funds. Most homeowner’s policies offer coverage for what is known as 3rd party liability.
Such coverage guarantees payment to any visitor that becomes the target of a dog’s teeth. It does not cover the medical expenses of some intruder that gets bitten by the homeowner’s vigilant “watchdog.”
Legal issues introduced by a biting incident
The victim of a dog bite could face the prospect of dealing with certain long term consequences. For that reason, the same person has reason to sue the party that can be held liable (the dog’s owner). Meanwhile the owner of the canine could claim that the injured party had provoked the canine’s violent response.
The victim may need to seek an Injury Lawyer in Richmond Hill, in order to obtain a fair compensation for his or her injury. If the injured party had to take days off from work, the value of the lost earnings must be proven. That task can prove difficult, if the injured party is self-employed.
Someone that has felt the strength of a canine’s bite might develop a phobia, namely a fear of dogs. The same person might thus seek help from a psychiatrist. When such a situation arises, the injured party has reason for asking to be reimbursed for the money paid to the psychiatrist.
The strength of that same party’s case will determine whether or not he or she gets rewarded the requested compensation. By hiring a lawyer, the victim of a dog bite should present a stronger case in court, and thus get a larger compensation.