A dog bite can be a very serious injury, and there are legal implications for the responsible parties. However, it can be a challenge to determine who is liable for causing the dog bite, since there are several factors that must be considered. Here are a few things to know about dog bite liability. 

Owner Liability

The owner of the dog is typically the one that is held responsible when a dog bite happens. This is because the owner has a legal responsibility to control their dog and prevent them from hurting others. If the owner is not taking proper precautions to prevent them from biting another person, such as not keeping the dog on a leash, they can easily be found liable.

Strict Liability

There are jurisdictions that use strict liability standards. This means that dog owners are held responsible when their dogs bite another person. It doesn't matter if the dog has a history of dog biting or has never shown violent tendencies. This can make liability pretty easy to prove if the dog was not provoked into biting another person.

Third-Party Liability

Sometimes the dog owner is not the responsible party, such as if they hired a dog walker, used a boarding facility, or hired a pet sitter. The person responsible for the pet at the time would be liable for the dog bite. It's even possible for a landlord to be found responsible for a dog bite if they know a dangerous dog is on their property, which is why some landlords don't allow dogs. 

Comparative Negligence

The person that was bitten can also be found liable through comparative negligence. This is when the actions of the victim are looked at to see if they provoked the dog in any way. This can include trespassing on someone's property, ignoring a warning sign about a dog, and even intentionally provoking the dog to get them angry. It's possible that compensation is reduced based on the amount of comparative negligence there is in the case.

Local Laws

You'll also want to look at how the local laws apply to the dog bite case. Some areas have laws about specific breeds that are considered dangerous and more responsibility is put on the owner for the dog's behavior. There can also be leash laws that allow a dog to be off a leash, which is quite different from areas that require leashes at all times.

To learn more, contact a personal injury attorney in your area.