3 Things You Need To Know About Idaho Dog Bite Liability Laws
Have you been bitten by a dog in Idaho? You may have a personal injury case. You should contact a personal injury attorney to discuss the details of your injury to know for sure, and to determine how much you might be awarded in compensation. If your injury was severe or disfiguring, you deserve to be compensated for your medical bills, as well as pain and suffering.
If you are considering contacting a personal injury lawyer about your dog bite case, it helps to know the state laws regarding those bites. It will help you work with your attorney to put a better case together for the court. Here are three important things you need to know about Idaho's dog bite laws.
1. There Is a Statue of Limitations
In Idaho, you must file a lawsuit for a dog bite within two years from the date of the bite. If you file even one day after the two year point, you will not be allowed to bring your case to court.
While it is sometimes beneficial to wait a while before bringing a personal injury lawsuit so you can determine just how bad your injuries are and how permanent they are likely to be, you shouldn't wait too long in Idaho. You want to be sure you get the chance to get the compensation you deserve, so be sure to hire a personal injury lawyer and get your case filed on time.
2. Idaho is a "One Bite" State
According to Nolo.com, Idaho is one of a handful of states that have a "one bite" rule when it comes to dog bites. This means that the owner of the dog can't be considered liable for the dog bite unless they knew the dog was vicious and/or likely to bite someone. This knowledge is usually established by the dog having bit someone once before, hence the "one bite" name.
Of course, the dog doesn't have to have actually bitten anyone for the owner to be liable. If the dog is an aggressive dog and has shown violent tendencies toward other people or animals in the past, and if the dog continues to behave this way, the owner is assumed to know the dog is vicious.
You can only bring a lawsuit for a dog bite in Idaho and win if you can prove the owner knew the dog was vicious. If the owner was not aware the dog had vicious tendencies, there is no lawsuit, even if you have severe injuries from the bite. There is, however, one exception to this rule.
3. You Can Sue If You Can Prove the Owner of the Dog Was Negligent
Even if your dog bite case doesn't fall under the "one bite" rule, you may still be able to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the owner if you can prove they were negligent in handling their dog. If the owner did not control their dog adequately or did not use proper care in handling the dog, then there can be a civil lawsuit and you can recover personal injury damages.
You may need to get witnesses to corroborate your story about the negligence of the owner if the owner will not admit to it. If there are no witnesses, then getting people who know the owner and how they normally handle their dog to testify can be beneficial to you winning compensation in your lawsuit.
Conclusion
If you have been bitten by a dog in Idaho, you may have a civil personal injury case. It all depends on the circumstances of the bite. Be sure to contact a personal injury attorney to discuss the details of the bite and see if you have a case you can take to court.