The Effects of Georgia Dog Bite Laws

Being attacked by a dog can be a traumatic incident for anyone. The resulting injuries can translate into thousands of dollars in medical bills and psychological damage from the trauma. In Georgia, there are laws concerning dog bites that are designed to help the victims of these terrible events.

In 2012, the Georgia legislature passed a law related to dog bite incidents known as the Responsible Dog Ownership Law. As a result of this law, owners must take great care with dogs that are deemed dangerous or vicious. Dangerous dogs are those who have punctured a human’s skin or killed another pet. A dog classified as vicious has inflicted serious injury to a person including life-threatening injuries such as broken bones, lacerations that require stitches, an injury that required plastic surgery or hospitalization, transmission of disease, and impairment of one of a person’s organs.

If a vicious dog seriously injures someone a second time, this could mean a felony for the owner and euthanization for the dog. The owner could also spend up to ten years in prison and pay up to 10,000 dollars in fines.

Beyond registering a vicious dog must be registered, there are other requirements that the owner of a vicious dog must follow. People who own vicious dogs must purchase a liability insurance policy for the dog that must be at least a $50,000 liability insurance policy.

What Should You Do If You Are the Victim of a Dog Bite?

While most dog bites are minor, some others are as severe as those mentioned above. If you believe that your injuries are significant, there are some steps that you should follow. A deep puncture will require medical attention. Even if you cannot tell the depth of the injury from sight alone, seek medical care just to be safe. Any wound that increases in pain, swelling, redness, or oozing may be infected and will also require medical attention. A dog bite can also be serious enough that the skin will be torn, crushed, or severely bleeding. If this happens, you should first apply pressure to stop the bleeding and then immediately visit a doctor to get assistance with your injury.

A Lawyer Can Help With Your Dog Bite Case

If you have sustained an injury as a result of a dog bite, you may be wondering if there is anything you can do. The medical bills can pile up quickly following visits to the doctor, and lost wages from your inability to work after a severe enough injury can also be damaging to your life. The NYE Law Group can help you determine if the owner of the dog that hurt you broke any laws that led to their dog’s attack. Call us at (912) 200-5230 today.  We can offer you a free case evaluation to determine if you have a case against the dog owner or not.