Residents of Wisconsin will likely be aware of the responsibilities dog owners have to prevent attacks on other people who may visit their properties. However, what happens when a person is bitten by a dog in a public area? Can such an attack lead to a personal injury lawsuit?
Such an incident occurred in Eau Claire on a Tuesday morning in August. Reportedly, a man who was on the walking path of the fields at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire was attacked by two dogs at about 11:30 a.m. The young man who allegedly walked the dogs did not stay at the scene, and the County Health Department organized a search for him and his two dogs.
They were described as one tan-colored and one brown bull mastiff-type dogs. University police tweeted the following day that they had located the dogs and their owner. The severity of the injuries that were caused by the dogs was not reported. Every state has its own dog bite laws; however, keeping dogs on leashes in public areas is only common sense. Even if a person believes his or her dog is friendly and poses no danger to others, dogs can be unpredictable, regardless of their breed.
Victims of dog attacks on the property of the owner can pursue recovery of damages by filing premises liability lawsuits. If a person is bitten by a dog in a public area, a personal injury lawsuit can be filed in a Wisconsin civil court. Whatever the circumstances of the dog attack, the process of pursuing financial relief could be complicated and might be best navigated by an experienced personal injury attorney.
Source: weau.com, “UPDATE: Dogs involved in Eau Claire dog bite incident found“, Jessica Bringe Posted, Sept. 6, 2017
