In all three states, the owner or keeper of a dog who injures another person is strictly liable for the victim’s damages and losses. This means that if you have been injured by a dog, you do not need to prove that the dog owner was at fault. As long as you were not teasing, tormenting, or abusing the dog, the owner or keeper of that dog is responsible to compensate you for your injuries. Some of these cases, therefore, turn on whether you can prove that the responsible party was indeed the owner or keeper of the dog under the applicable law.

Other times a dispute arises over whether the owner’s or keeper’s insurance company is responsible to pay for these losses under the applicable insurance policy, which sometimes excludes damages caused by certain breeds. The main issue in most dog bite and dog attack cases, however, is the value of the damages suffered. Commonly these damages include permanent scarring and emotional distress.