South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Florida has specific laws that hold dog owners accountable for dog attacks. If you’ve been bitten by a dog in Florida, the statute of limitations (the legal deadline) for filing a lawsuit is four years from the date of the incident. In rare circumstances, that may be extended, so it’s important to check with an experienced personal injury attorney to see if you qualify for that extension.
Florida Statutes Pertaining to Dog Bites
In a nutshell, Florida law holds dog owners liable for injuries caused by their dog biting someone in a public place or if the person is lawfully in a private place, such as the dog owner’s property. It doesn’t matter if the dog never bit anyone before or if the owner never suspected the dog was dangerous. If “Bad Dog” signs were posted, or if the person bitten was trespassing or in some way provoked the attack, the victim’s ability to receive compensation may be reduced, but he or she may still get some compensation.