Health & Fitness
Legal Corner: Did My Dog Misbehave?
My dog broke his leash because another person refused to stop teasing her. My dog was so upset, she bit the person. This happened in the City of Alexandria. Do I have to pay for the medical bills?
QUESTION: My dog broke his leash because another person refused to stop teasing her. My dog was so upset, she bit the person. This happened in the City of Alexandria. Do I have to pay for the medical bills?
ANSWER: A defense may include contributory negligence. This means that a person who is even 1 percent responsible for an accident has no legal right to compensation for medical bills. See, Virginia Code § 3.2-6540. Control of dangerous or vicious dogs; penalties. Visit Alexandria's website for more dog information. This site also explains dog owner rules.
Be careful if you have a dog. A dog bite could be severe. Personal injuries include: physical injuries, scars, lost earnings, medical bills, mental suffering, physical pain, inconvenience, embarrassment, medications and scar revision/plastic surgery to reduce the unsightly dog bite scarring and future losses.