Pet Injury Lawsuits
If your pet has been injured, intentionally or unintentionally, you can sue the person who harmed your animal. There are several factors that the legal system will take into account such as the circumstances surrounding the injury and any negligence by the person you are suing. Because pets are technically property, you won’t always be able to claim emotional distress, however, you can still recover some costs through a lawsuit.
For example, if your small dog runs out of the house and into the neighbor’s yard, your neighbor has very little cause for shooting the dog in self defence. However, if your dog is a pit bull that charges into the neighbor’s house barking louding and baring his teeth, your neighbor will have a better case for self defense.
If your neighbor is driving twice the speed limit and hits your dog in the street, you can probably make a good case for negligence. However, in such an instance, you will be held partially responsible for allowing your dog to roam free.
Through a lawsuit, you might be able to recover the cost of buying the animal, training and behaviour classes, and any veterinary bills for the pet’s recovery. If your animal has been injured, contact a personal injury attorney to go over your options.