New rules affect Ohio dog bite injury victims | Bowling Green, Ohio dog bite injury lawyers

Our Bowling Green, Ohio dog bite injury attorneys were interested to learn that the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled this year that an Ohio dog bite injury victim may pursue claims two ways - under Ohio's specific dog bite statute, R.C. 955.28, and under common law negligence.

So what does this mean to dog bite owners? Now Ohio dog bite injury victims don't have to choose between how they seek compensation.

This rule stemmed from a minor child who suffered serious Ohio dog bite injuries to her head and scalp after being mauled by a dog while visiting the dog owners. According Justice Stratton, of the Supreme Court of Ohio:

"When the plaintiff [Ohio dog bite victim] pursues both a statutory and common law claim for bodily injuries caused by a dog, a judge can easily instruct the jury that if it finds no evidence of the defendant's knowledge of the dog's viciousness, then only compensatory damages under the statutory cause of action are available. In that case, the plaintiff is entitled to compensatory damages to be made whole under the intent of the statute...(A) judge can just as easily instruct the jury that if it finds that the plaintiff proved that the defendant had knowledge of the dog's viciousness and kept the dog in a negigent manner, the jury may award the additional remedy of punitive damages under the common law action. Compensatory damages remain the same under wither theory of recovery, i.e., there there is no double recovery. The remedies are not inconsistent under the law."

If you or someone you know has suffered serious Ohio dog bite injuries, order your free copy of The Ohio Dog Bite Book today by calling 800.637.8170.