Oregon Dog Bite Lawyer
Dog Attack Attorney Serving Portland and Surrounding Areas
Unfortunately, far too many dog owners abuse or fail to train and care for their animals properly, leading to aggression and attacks. Dog bite statistics are alarming, as attacks and bites by dangerous dogs can cause serious injury ranging from painful to life threatening, including:
Abrasions
Sprain and Strain Injury
Lacerations
Puncture Wounds
Tissue Loss
Crush Injury
Fractures
Permanent Scars
Nerve Damage
Rabies and Other Infection
Post-Traumatic Stress
Strict Liability for Dog Bites
Under Oregon law, a dog owner who knows or should know that his or her dog has “dangerous propensities abnormal to its class,” is subject to liability for harm done by the dog. Liability applies even if the dog owner uses the utmost care to prevent the dog from doing the harm.
If the dog owner does not know or have reason to know that the dog is abnormally dangerous, he or she is subject to liability for harm done by the dog if, but only if, he intentionally causes the dog to do the harm, or (b) he is negligent in failing to prevent the harm.
Impounded but Innocent Dogs
If you have been injured in such an attack, a Portland dog bite lawyer may be able to help you recover compensation. In some cases, however, a dog is accused unfairly. If another person or animal provoked your dog into aggression and it has been impounded or you have been accused, our animal law practice may be able to help you prevent the dog’s death or your own incarceration or serious financial consequences.
Under Oregon law, police or animal control officers may impound any dog found running at large in violation of statute, found to be a public nuisance, or believed to be dangerous. An unlicensed dog may be killed after only three days, and a licensed dog after just five.
Police or animal control officers may impound any dog if they have probable cause to believe that the dog is dangerous. In Oregon, a “dangerous” dog is defined broadly as a dog that inflicts serious injury, such as a bite wound, on a person without provocation. Even if the dog has “menaced” or chased a person outside the responsible person’s property, the dog may be ordered destroyed. Your dog may also be classified as “dangerous” if evidence suggests that the dog has killed, wounded, injured or chased livestock.
You may be charged with maintaining a public nuisance if you fail to comply with court-ordered restrictions after a complaint is made against you. You may be charged with maintaining a dangerous dog if you do not prevent the dog from inflicting serious injury on a person. Both charges are serious matters that may include punishments such as an order that the dog be killed, payment of fines of up to $250, and payment for any injuries or property damage caused by the dog. A person responsible for a dog that kills another person may be guilty of a Class C felony, facing a presumptive sentence of 60 days in jail, a maximum of 120 days in jail, and two years probation.
Contact an Oregon Dog Bite Lawyer
If you a loved one have been seriously injured because a dog owner failed to take responsibility, contact Portland injury attorney Dane Johnson at (503) 975-8298 or online for a free confidential initial consultation.
