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A vicious bulldog recently bit an eight-year-old Westfield boy on the arm. Officials say that doctors may not be able to save the boy’s arm.
The young boy, whose name was not released, was letting the dog in the house when the dog bite occurred. The boy’s father said that the dog has “territorial issues,” and asked that the dog be removed and euthanized.
Dog Bite Statistics
Dogs bite 4.5 million Americans each year. 800,000 of these victims seek medical treatment for their injuries. Two-thirds of the injured victims are children under age four. In most states, the victim must prove that the dog owner was negligent and that this negligence caused the injury. Many states even have so-called “first bite laws,” which state that a dog owner is immune to a negligence suit if the dog has never bitten before. However, Massachusetts is different.
Massachusetts Law
In an animal attack case, many insurance companies like to claim that the victim provoked the dog and deny coverage. Since Massachusetts law holds dog owners strictly liable for their animals, a comparative fault defense usually does not hold up in court. In fact, such a defense is generally not available at all if the victim is younger than seven.
Arguably, a dog may not even have to bite the victim. For example, a vicious dog could cause a child to fall off a bicycle or run into traffic and cause an accident. Even if there is a leash law, owner negligence is very difficult to prove in these circumstances.
We take dog bite injuries very seriously at Feinberg and Alban, and always encourage responsible dog ownership.
Feinberg & Alban, P.C. fervently protects your rights
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5.0/5.0I’m a college student in the Boston area who suffered a pedestrian personal injury in December of 2022. Thankfully I was put into contact with Feinberg & Alban PC and I worked closely with Robert and Perry Feinberg who treated me with respect and f...
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Alexis Cahill was great, professional, and was open for me to contact on any questions I may have had during the process. Feinberg & Alban PC's services were nice as well, and I'd recommend them due to the transparency, what they were able to negotia...
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My mom had a great experience with Feinberg as her attorney, after she fell near her house, and he took her under his wing. Mr. Feinberg was helpful, very organized and kind. He helped my mom a lot, very happy with results
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I have been using Marsha Alban's services and advice for many years. Initially, I interviewed several lawyers, and Marsha was definitely the best! She took time to listen, she was very compassionate, and she explained everything in detail and answere...
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Wish I could give higher than a 5 for this review. From the start the dedication to detail, care and skill that was applied to my case was outstanding. Robert Feinberg is exceptional at representing his clients. His depth & breadth of experience make...
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