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The Ontario Law on Dog Bites and Steps To Take If You Have Been Injured By a Dog
By Jayne Browne
Articles
According to the Ontario law on dog bites, any person injured as a result of a dog is entitled to seek compensation. The Ontario law on dog bites places strict liability, which is the legal responsibility for damages or injury incurred, on owners of dogs for any injuries caused by their pets. If you have been bitten, attacked or otherwise injured by a dog in Ontario, you have certain rights and remedies available to you through the Dog Owners' Liability Act.
 

Steps to take if you have been bitten or attacked by a dog

  • The first step is to obtain immediate medical attention.
  • The second thing you should do is identify and obtain the name of the dog owner. The owner of the dog is the person at fault for the dog bite or attack incident and is liable to pay damages.
  • The local police department, local health department and local by-law enforcement should be immediately notified. These government agencies may be able to assist you in locating the dog and its owner if identifying the dog owner becomes problematic.
  • Obtain the names and contact information of any witnesses. Dog owners may deny the incident for fear of being liable to pay damages. Independent witnesses are important in such cases.
  • It is crucial to obtain photographs of the injuries as soon as possible after the time of the attack. It is also important to take photographs over time to demonstrate the stages of healing. This will document all injuries and note permanent injuries such as scarring.
  • Ensure that all medical treatment received is well documented and that medical records reflect treatment as a result of a dog bite or attack. Advise health care providers that the injuries sustained are a result of a dog bite or attack and that the documents may be requested by your personal injury lawyer.
  • Keep a daily record of how the incident and the injuries have affected you over time.
  • It is always prudent to consult with a personal injury lawyer experienced in dealing with dog bite or attack liability cases as soon as possible. Your personal injury lawyer can take immediate steps to protect your interests, such as notifying the dog owner and anyone else at fault of your intention to seek compensation.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a dog bite attack, you have every right to seek damages according to the Ontario law on dog bites. If you have suffered injuries because of a dog bite incident, contact Sokoloff Lawyers for a free consultation about your legal options. If you cannot get to the office of Sokoloff Lawyers, they will come to you. Sokoloff Lawyers offers 24/7 telephone access to friendly and attentive legal staff, services in over 30 languages and provide the best medical referrals.  

The Onus is on The Owner According to the Ontario Law on Dog Bites

By Pixie
Owning a pet is a big responsibility. You’re directly in charge of the wellbeing, safety and life of another living thing. Not only that, you also take on the care and responsibility for their actions. When walking a dog in a public place, the onus is on the owner to properly dispose of the pet’s droppings. If your cat scratches up your brand new sofa set, nobody else is going to pay to repair or replace it other than you. A less frequent, but much more significant, area of pet owner liability, however, is what happens if your dog attacks someone, either on a walk, at a dog park or virtually anywhere else. There are many provisions involved in Ontario law on dog bites that hold the pet owner specifically responsible for any injury to anyone as a result of being attacked by their dog. It is the dog owner’s responsibility to keep their pet under control and prevent them from harming others. If the owner cannot live up to that responsibility, a personal injury lawyer can seek damages to a variety of degrees, depending on the circumstances and specific nature of the dog attack injuries.