Dog bites are a serious matter, and leash laws are in place to prevent them. While there are many common causes of dog bites in Albuquerque, the primary cause is dog owners who fail to take seriously their responsibility to keep others safe. If you have been attacked by someone else’s dog, you should not wait to consult with an experienced dog bite attorney at New Mexico Accident Firm.
The City of Albuquerque is motivated to protect the public from vicious dog attacks, which are often caused by unleashed dogs. Therefore, dog owners are required to maintain control of their animals by leashing them in public spaces. Official dog parks are the only exception.
Dog owners must keep their pets on leashes that are no longer than eight feet. When they fail to do so, they can be held responsible for any damages their pets cause. These include the physical, financial, and emotional losses dog-bite victims experience.
Victims of dog bites can also pursue fair compensation if the pet’s owner engaged in some form of negligence. This generally means failing to take the reasonable precautions necessary to protect others from their dog.
Angel’s Law is designed to help protect members of the public from the threat of dog bites. Dog owners who allow their dangerous dogs to go off-leash in public or who fail to restrain them safely and humanely on their own property can be held legally responsible for any harm caused.
The law addresses three primary factors in relation to dangerous dogs, and these reflect the responsibilities of dog owners.
When a dog is reasonably assumed to pose a threat to others, the dog’s owner is on notice that they can be held responsible if the pet attacks. This satisfies the state’s one bite law, which assigns responsibility only if the dog’s owner knows it poses a risk or reasonably should know that it does.
Potential dangers include if the dog caused someone or their companion animal to suffer an injury (even if it does not qualify as serious), the dog aggressively menaced or chased someone or their companion animal without provocation, the dog exhibited aggressive behavior in an enclosed space, or it appeared to be capable of escaping.
A dog will be classified as dangerous if it has caused someone or their companion animal to suffer a serious injury, great bodily harm, or a fatal injury. The dog will also be identified as dangerous if it was deemed potentially dangerous in the past and has since engaged in another qualifying act.
Sometimes, dog owners are determined to be unwilling or unable to humanely house or safely control their pets. As a result, their dogs are considered far more likely to bite.
These are all common causes of serious Albuquerque dog attacks. When one of these applies, the dog owner can be found legally liable for the damages the dog-bite victim suffers.
Most Albuquerque dog bites result from negligence on the part of dog owners. Responsible dog owners must license their dogs as required by law, keep their dogs on a leash in public places, and maintain control over them at all times.
There are many common causes of dog bites in Albuquerque. At NMAF, our experienced lawyers could fight for your rights and your rightful compensation in the aftermath of a dog bite. Your settlement is important to your recovery. Contact us today.
