Compensation for Dog Bites

Christina Medlin

Contributor

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Recently in Detroit a five year old boy was attacked by two pit bulls as he walked down the street with his father. The entire incident was caught on security cameras. The dogs without being provoked or acknowledged appeared and attacked the young boy.

The boy's father and the owner of the dogs quickly pulled the animals off, but one of the dogs rushed in again and pounced on the boy a second time. Fortunately the boy escaped with minor injuries. Police later confiscated three dogs from the owner's nearby home. The owner of the dogs told reporters that she was sorry that her dogs had escaped and attacked the boy, but added that she plans to fight for their return in court.

The NC General Assembly is considering a bill that would require the owners of the pit bulls (a dangerous dog) to demonstrate financial responsibility to indemnify persons suffering damages as a result of personal injuries inflicted or other damage caused by a dangerous dog. The bill defines a dangerous dog as a dog that has without provocation killed or injured a person or a dog owned for the purpose of dog fighting, or trained to dog fight. The owners would have to prove financial responsibility of $5,000.00 to the newly created Dangerous Dog Board, by showing a cash deposit with the clerk of court, a bond by at least one solvent surety or a policy to liability insurance. Senate Bill 92 is currently being considered by the Senate Judiciary II committee.

While the intent of the bill is to hold dangerous dog owners accountable, the mechanics of the bill fail to help those injured by a dangerous dog. The damages in a dog bite case can range from medical bills, loss wages, pain and suffering, compensation for scarring and disfigurement and possibly plastic surgery. If an owner does not have an insurance policy to cover the actions of the dangerous dog, the $5,000 will not justly compensate an injured party.