Dog Attacks and Kills its Owner in Frederick, Maryland

A Frederick, Maryland man, Eugene W. Smith, was taking down his Christmas tree, when all of a sudden his 84-pound pit bull started attacking him.  Mr. Smith rescued the dog back in May and the dog had been living with him, his son, and his son’s fiancé ever since.  When officers arrived to the house, they subdued the dog and Mr. Smith was taken to the hospital.  Unfortunately, the injuries sustained from the attack were too severe and he passed away.  Frederick County animal control officers removed the dog from the home and euthanized it.  In this case, it does not appear that anyone was necessarily at fault, and it was just a very unfortunate situation.

However, if you are the victim of a dog bite in Maryland, you may be entitled to compensation from parties that you may not readily realize. In order to ensure that you are being fully compensated, it is important to contact an experienced dog bite attorney. Below are four potential parties who may be liable for your dog bite:

·         A dog owner is responsible for a dog bite attack if the owner kept a dog which he knew to be dangerous or had previously bitten someone. This rule is known as the “one free bite” rule.

·         A dog keeper is responsible for a dog bite if they had prior knowledge that the dog had previously bit someone, or if the dog keeper knew the dog to be a dangerous dog.

·         A landlord, one who has the right to control the dog’s presence on the premises of where the bite occurred, may be held liable for the injuries of a dog bite if the landlord knew that the dog was a dangerous dog.

·         Landlords of a commercial property, such as a shopping center, may be held liable for a dog bite. If you are on commercial property, the land owner has a duty of reasonable care to keep the premises safe and to protect you from dangerous situation.

If you or a family member have been injured by a dog bite or attack, contact Portner & Shure for a free legal consultation or if you would like more information on dog bites and attacks at (410) 995-1515 or visit us on the web at http://www.portnerandshure.com/Personal-Injury/Dog-Bites/