Dog bites can result in serious injuries and emotional trauma for victims. In Massachusetts, understanding the laws and regulations surrounding dog bites is important for both dog owners and those who have been injured. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Approximately 4.5 million people are bitten…
According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), dog-related injuries accounted for more than one-third of U.S. homeowners insurance claims in 2014. That adds up to more than $530 million. Further analysis conducted by the I.I.I. revealed that the average per-claim cost had increased by 15 percent compared with the previous…
If you’ve been bitten or attacked by a dog, who is liable for your injuries? In MA, a dog’s owner may be liable for any damages the dog causes, barring certain circumstances. For example, if the victim was trespassing at the time of the incident, the dog’s owner will likely…
When it comes to dog bites, Massachusetts is a “strict liability” state. That means that dog owners are liable for injuries caused by their dogs, even if they had no reason to believe the dog would cause such an injury. However, there are some exceptions. If the statute of limitations…
National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which runs from April 9 to 15, aims to educate the public and dog owners about how to prevent dog bites. According to recent reports, dog bite claims over the past 10 years have skyrocketed. The information below provides insight into why these claims have…
The U.S. Postal Service has stopped delivering mail to one New England town, citing an aggressive dog as the reason. For more than one year, mail carriers have not delivered mail to a neighborhood in Concord, New Hampshire over concern that one of the neighborhood homeowner’s dogs is overly aggressive…
Dog bites can result in devastating scars, nerve damage, disfigurement and even death. In many cases, dog attacks can also leave victims with severe psychological injuries too. Since Massachusetts is a strict liability state, owners can be held liable for their dog’s actions even if there isn’t any negligence or…
The town of Bridgewater, MA is facing a serious issue following the resignation of the town’s animal control officer and three serious dog attacks since mid-February. Police say they are without backup when it comes to animal-related emergency calls since Eric Badger, Bridgewater’s Health Agent and part-time animal control officer,…
A 14-year-old boy is in critical condition today after being attacked by two Rottweilers Thursday night. Officers responded last Thursday, March 21, to a fenced-in backyard on Squire Road, in Revere, after the boy’s friend, 12, placed the frantic call to police. The boys had apparently scaled the fence and…
A 3-year-old, 48-pound pointer-hound mix will now be euthanized after he was involved in a second Mansfield, MA dog attack involving a child. Milo first came to the attention of authorities when he bit a 6-year-old boy in January. The child, who was being babysat by the dog’s owner, required…