Ohio Dog Bite Law

People who have serious dog bite claims suffer physical trauma like scarring or disfigurement, nerve damage or injuries from falls caused by dog attacks as well as the emotional consequences or fears that persist long after the incident.

Our job at Clark, Perdue & List Co, LPA, is to make sure the seriousness of your injury is given the credit it deserves. It should not be undervalued by insurance companies, and certainly shouldn’t be treated as “just another dog bite case” by your lawyer. We will be here for you personally to give you the care and attention you deserve so you can recover to the fullest extent possible.

What Is the Dog Bite Injury Law in Ohio?

The legal basis of most personal injury claims is the duty of ordinary care. Everyone has a duty to act reasonably to avoid causing injury to someone else. This duty applies in dog bite injury claims as well as most other types of personal injury claims.

Ohio law imposes an additional duty on dog owners. The Ohio legislature enacted section 955.28 of the Ohio Revised Code which provides that “the owner, keeper, or harborer of a dog is liable in damages for any injury, death, or loss to person or property that is caused by the dog.”

The Ohio dog bite law has some exceptions. It does not impose responsibility on a dog owner if the injured person:

• Was committing or attempting to commit a trespass or other criminal offense on the property of the owner
• Was committing or attempting to commit a criminal offense against any person
• Was teasing, tormenting or abusing the dog on the owner’s property

This statute applies even when the damage is not caused by a bite. We represented the family of an elderly gentleman who was knocked to the ground by a large dog that had escaped from a neighbor’s property. The fall resulted in a broken hip, and the unfortunate man died due to complications from the hip repair surgery. We successfully claimed, on behalf of the man’s family, that the Ohio dog bite statute imposes absolute liability upon the dog owner, and the dog owner’s homeowners insurance company paid the wrongful death claim.