Filing a Dog Bite Claim in North Carolina

Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their pet under control while in public and pedestrians also have a right to feel safe in places that allow dogs. If you are the victim of a dog bite in North Carolina, you may have grounds for receiving compensation.

In the event of a dog bite, the first thing that you should do after receiving medical care is to contact an attorney who is experienced in dog bite cases. Our team of lawyers at Nye Law Group have a thorough understanding of North Carolina’s laws and can conduct an investigation into your particular situation in order to determine what course of action is best for you and your North Carolina dog bite case.

Filing a Dog Bite Claim in North Carolina

The laws concerning dog bites in Section 67 of the North Carolina General Statutes  state that the owner is responsible for the event in cases where the following are true:

• The dog caused an injury to an individual or caused damage to the property of an individual.
• North Carolina law defines the dog as a “dangerous dog.”

A “dangerous dog” is one that has inflicted an injury or death on a person without provocation in the past, is brought up as a dog intended for dog fighting, or has a record of being labeled by authorities as a “potentially dangerous dog.”

A dog that is considered a “potentially dangerous dog” is one that has a previous history of biting people, attacking other animals, or acting in a threatening manner.

North Carolina’s Statute of Limitations

There is a specific time frame in which you must file a dog bite claim. The statute of limitations for these types of cases is three years in North Carolina. This means that you have three years from the time of the dog bite to file your case. It is highly unlikely that your case will make it to court if you file once this time period is up, and cases become harder to win the longer you wait.

“Strict Liability” in North Carolina Dog Bite Cases

North Carolina applies “strict liability” to all dog bite cases, meaning that the dog’s owner is liable regardless of whether or not the event was the owner’s fault. Even if the owner attempted to prevent the dog from causing harm to anyone, if the dog manages to injure someone, the owner is considered responsible

The dog owner can face criminal penalties in the following cases:

• If the owner leaves his or her dog unattended.
• If the owner lets his or her dog walk without a leash.
• If the owner lets another person buy or adopt his or her dog without providing a written warning of the dog’s menacing behavior.

North Carolina Dog Bite Lawyers

If you were bitten by a dog, you have the option of taking legal action. The best way to go about doing so is by getting in contact with a lawyer who is well-versed in North Carolina law. Our team of attorney at The Nye Law Group has the knowledge and the resources necessary to build the strongest case possible. Allow us to guide you through this process. Call us at (912) 200-5230 for further information about the options that are available to you.