Dog Bites

Mr. Morrison represents persons who are injured by attacks from vicious dogs in Fairfax County.

Over the last five years, Mr. Morrison has had a number of settlements and verdicts against owners of vicious dogs in excess of $100,000.00. In a Prince William County dog bite case, Mr. Morrison recovered $275,000.00 for a woman who was working as a veterinary technician when a vicious dog bit off part of her upper lip. In a vicious dog attack in Fairfax County, Mr. Morrison recovered $300,000.00 in a case when a Husky bit off the top of a young woman's finger when she was dog sitting. In a Stafford County dog bite case, Mr. Morrison represented a teenage girl who was bitten in the chest by a vicious dog. The Plaintiff was able to make a recovery in excess of $100,000.00 as a result of this case.

In order to recover against an owner of a dog for negligence and injuries suffered from a dog attack, the injured person must show one of three things. First, that the owner knew that the dog was dangerous by its prior conduct. This is referred to as the "one bite rule." Secondly, in counties where there are leash laws, the Courts have found that an owner that allows his dog to run loose in violation of that leash law is absolutely liable for the injuries caused by that dog's conduct. Finally, the law recognizes that certain breeds are inherently dangerous. If you are injured by one of these breeds, which include Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and other large dogs, you will also be able to make a recovery.

In cases where you are injured by a dog bite, it is essential to get county or city animal control officials involved as soon as possible. They will identify the owner of the dog, interview the owner of the dog, and document your injuries. It is also critically important to seek medical care for the injury as soon as possible.

Finally, it is critical to obtain a competent attorney immediately after the injury as the law on this issue can be confusing to a layperson and failure to proceed cautiously can result in your claim being lost or its value being significantly diminished.