One of Virginia’s Leading Families of Law

Virginia Dog Bite Laws

Lynchburg Dog Bite Lawyer

For over three decades our family has fought to protect the rights of our clients throughout the state of Virginia after an dog bite accident case or injury. Our long tradition of hard work and commitment to fighting and winning for our clients began in 1982 and continues to this day. For many injury victims the accident itself is only the beginning of the physical and emotional hardships they experience. As one of Virginia’s leading Personal Injury law firms we are well-resourced to handle dangerous dogs and leash law cases and have decades of experience to help guide you throughout the legal process as we seek the compensation you and your family deserve.

 

Virginia’s One Bite Law

While many states have laws with “strict liability” for dog bites, Virginia is not one of them. Instead, it is one of the states that still follows the “one bite” rule. What this means for dog bite victims is that in order to recover compensation for injuries and damages, they must show that the dog owner knew or should have known that the dog was dangerous or aggressive. The lawyers at Trost Law Group are well versed in this law and have decades of experience representing dog bite victims in the state of Virginia.

Understanding Your Rights

Virginia’s “Negligence Per Se” rule for dog injuries requires dog owners to use “reasonable care” in restraining and controlling their dogs, whether or not the owner knows the dog is dangerous. Virginia law allows those injured by dogs to seek damages by bringing a claim if they can demonstrate that the injury resulted from the owner’s failure to use reasonable care to restrain or handle the dog and should be held liable. Damages you may recover:

 

Pain and Suffering

Lost Wages

Medical expenses

FAQ

What Should I Do?

In Virginia, there are strict timelines for filing a lawsuit in personal injury cases, including dog bite and dog-related injury cases. An injured person has two years to file a claim after an injury has occurred, which is referred to as the “statute of limitations”. If you or a loved one have been injured in a dog attack, here are some guidelines to follow to seek help for your injuries and protect your potential claim.
Seek Medical Attention
After any dog attack incident you should seek immediate medical attention.
Contact Law Enforcement and Animal Control
It is important to document the incident with law enforcement and animal control. If your injuries prevent you from calling have a friend or family member call on your behalf.
Write Down Details of the Incident
It is important to record as much as you remember about the incident, including date and time, location, description of the animal and any potential witnesses
Take Photographs of Your Injuries
Photographs of your injuries taken by medical professionals or family can prove invaluable to your claim.

Dogs Most Likely to Bite

In 2017, there were over 90 million dogs in the United States. Of the 4.7 million dog bites that occur annually, 81% cause minor or no injuries that don’t require medical attention. Additionally, most dog bites involve dogs that are not spayed or neutered. The most dangerous breeds of dogs kept as pets most likely to attack in the United States are: Pit Bull, Chow Chow, Rottweiler, Akita and Bull Mastiff.

Why Choose Us?

The Trost Law Difference

Each year thousands of accident and injury victims in Virginia search for the right firm to help them. Hiring an attorney to represent you with your injury claim is one of the first and most important decisions you can make, and one that you have full control over.

At Trost Law Group, our experienced and dedicated Injury Lawyers have used their unrivaled skill and experienced to help thousands of injured clients throughout the state of Virginia for the past 35 years. All of our clients are assigned to a dedicated case manager, and are treated like part of the family. Contact us today to begin the defense of your case with our free, no obligation case review and experience the Trost difference.

Decades of Skill & Experience

Our team has had decades of first hand litigation and trial experience that we put to use for the benefit of our clients.

No Upfront Fees

Because we accept personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you won’t pay any legal fees unless we win your case. A percentage of the final recovery will be used to pay for our services.

Time Tested & Proven Results

We have developed time tested and proven methods over the past 35 years that have resulted in maximum compensation for our clients.

Free Case Review

There is no cost for us to get started on your case. At anytime you can request a no-obligation, free case review by filling out our online form or calling our office today.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Recover For You!

Fill out the following form or call (434) 528-4222 to request your Free Case Review.

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We Have an Unwavering Commitment to Our Clients.

Give Us A Call

(434) 528-4222

Randall J. Trost, P.C

Main Office
801 Main Street, 10th Floor
Lynchburg, VA 24504

Secondary Office
122 S Market St.
#B, Danville, VA 24541