East Providence Dog Bite Lawyer

For many, seeing a dog puts a smile on our face, especially that of a child. Dogs even become part of our families. Yet, even the most docile dog can bite or attack unexpectedly. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just a stray dog or one breed in particular that can cause harm; it’s often the family pet or a friend’s dog you have known for years. If you, or your child, have been the victim of a dog bite in East Providence, RI, it’s important to seek expert legal advice. Attorney David Tapalian, an East Providence Dog Bite Lawyer, has over 20 years of personal injury experience helping families seek compensation after a traumatic dog bite in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

According to DogsBite.org, 471 people were killed by dogs in the U.S from 2005-2018. Although a wide variety of breeds are responsible for the fatalities, pit bull terriers and rottweilers account for 76% of these deaths. The involvement of pit bulls in fatal dog attacks has increased over the years and while certainly any type of dog can inflict harm, the injuries caused by a pit bull are the most violent and destructive, result in a higher risk of death, and higher hospital costs than other breeds.

These aren’t the only breeds capable of hurting a person. Small dogs such as chihuahuas and poodles are just as likely to bite. In fact, chihuahuas are one of the breeds of dog that bite the most. As an experienced personal injury attorney in East Providence, Attorney David Tapalian has seen a number of young children and adults hurt by small dog breeds, yet we don’t hear about these incidents as much because the injury and damage caused by a smaller animal is typically not as severe and the risk for fatality is much more limited. If you have been the victim of a dog attack, contact an expert East Providence RI dog bite attorney to hold the dog’s owner liable for your damages and seek compensation for your losses.

If you are hurt by a dog in East Providence, RI, the dog’s owner may be held responsible to compensate you for your damages. In Rhode Island, dog owners are responsible for the actions of their animals and as such, may be liable for your injuries based on the circumstances of the incident. If the bite occurred outside of the dog’s enclosure in RI, strict liability applies. For example, if a child is playing at a public park and is bit, the animal’s owner will be responsible for all damages associated with the child’s dog bite injury.

If the bite takes place inside the dog’s enclosure, such as a fenced in yard, your RI personal injury lawyer will need to prove the dog had prior vicious tendencies, as applicable in Rhode Island’s “one bite rule”. In essence, the dog gets one vicious scenario before its owner is held liable for its actions. However, this certainly doesn’t mean a dog bite lawsuit is a “lost cause” if the victim is hurt at the dog owner’s home or on their property. As a skilled East Providence dog bite lawyer, David Tapalian has successfully held dog owner’s liable for harm that took place off their property, but also for assaults that took place on the owner’s property, even without a previous history of dog bites. The victim may still have a successful injury claim if they can prove that the animal’s owner knew that the dog had prior vicious tendencies, for instance, the pet acted malevolently toward a person in the past. A well-qualified Rhode Island injury attorney is imperative when dealing with the complexities of RI dog bite laws.

Compensation for a dog bite lawsuit in Rhode Island varies widely based on the severity of injury and extent of damage caused by the animal. Injuries for a dog bite attack can be similar to any other type of personal injury claim; after all, a dog bite is one of many forms of personal injury. Compensable injuries due to a dog bite include, but are not limited to: