You’re out on your neighbour’s front lawn, collecting your newspaper that got thrown onto their property. As you pick up the newspaper, you hear a violent barking sound from behind you. It’s the neighbour’s pit bull, and he’s beginning to get territorial because of your accidental intrusion. The dog leaps and takes one bite at your leg, and you’re left in excruciating pain. Thankfully, another neighbour sees the attack and calls the police immediately. In a case such as this one, you have the right to file a dog bite lawsuit against the dog owner. The attack was unprovoked, and you do not deserve to deal with the aftermath of this case alone.
Different Levels of Dog Bites
There are levels of severity when looking at dog bites, and different bites call for different protocol. Here are the different levels of bites and the warning signs:
Level 1 (pre-bite):
A level 1 bite is when a dog lightly bites or snaps at a person, without any direct contact. This aggressive behaviour can lead to dog bites in the future, and this is when a dog owner should begin getting help for their pet—before it’s too late. If you are the dog owner, it is important to make note of this behaviour and analyze why the dog might have reacted in this way. By doing this, you can find out what contributed to the pre-bite behaviour.
Level 2 (near-bite):
A level 2 bite is when a dog makes contact with a person’s skin, but there is no visible wound. Usually, a dog will lunge and clamp a person without breaking any skin. Again, this is another warning sign that your dog could bite again.
Level 3A:
This is when a dog bite actually punctures the skin, and the bite is reportable. If the dog bite victim needs to be hospitalized, the bite needs to be reported immediately. Your dog will become a liability if a level 3A bite takes place.
Level 3B:
A level 3B is when a dog bites a person many different times, but the puncture wounds are not very deep. This bite is also reportable, and a dog bite lawsuit can be filed against the accused.
Level 4:
This dog bite is extremely severe, and it is when the dog clamps down on a person so severely, that a small child could be killed from the bite. The dog owner should have gotten help for their animal at a stage 1, 2, or 3 bite, and now their dog is a liability. The owner can be sued for damages.
Level 5:
This bite is when multiple punctures are seen, and the wounds are deep. Dogs who bite in this way are usually experienced biters.
Level 6:
This is when a dog kills a victim because of the severity of the bite. Even small dogs are capable of killing when it comes to small children and infants. It is extremely important to get help for your animal before this stage occurs.
Hiring a Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer
A Toronto personal injury lawyer will be able to help you file a dog bite lawsuit if an aggressive dog has attacked you and you’ve experienced a level 3A - level 5 attack. Book a free consultation with a Toronto personal injury lawyer at Sokoloff today.
Sources: http://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/was-it-just-a-little-bite-or-more-evaluating-bite-levels-in-dogs