Missouri’s Dog Bite Law May Mean Liability Even for Careful Owners
In 2009, Missouri passed a “strict liability” dog bite law. A “strict liability” law is one that holds someone liable even if that person was as careful as possible. In the case of Missouri’s dog bite law, strict liability means that a dog owner can be held legally responsible if his dog bites someone, even if the dog had never bitten before or the owner took precautions to ensure that the dog could not bite anyone.
Specifically, Missouri’s dog bite law makes an owner responsible if the dog bites anyone on public property or who is legally on private property, like a business customer or a party guest. The dog owner will face liability “regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's or possessor's knowledge of such viciousness.” In other words, it doesn’t matter if the dog’s owner knew the dog might bite or had bitten in the past. “I had no idea my dog would do that,” is not a valid excuse for a person to suffer painful and expensive dog bite injuries.
Dog bites send hundreds of thousands of Americans to the emergency room each year, many of them children. If you or someone you love has been injured by a biting dog, please don’t hesitate to contact the experienced Missouri dog bite injury lawyers at Page Law, LLC. We will examine your case carefully and fight for the compensation you and your family deserve. To learn more, call Page Law, LLC today at 314-322-8515 for a free and confidential case evaluation.
