Dog bite cases can result in both civil and criminal proceedings, but the two serve different purposes.
after a dog attack this past weekend, the latest in a series of brutal dog attack s reported across Central Alabama in recent months. The incidents have raised questions about how dog owners can be held responsible under Alabama law and when attacks result in criminal charges.
Dog bite cases can result in both civil and criminal proceedings, but the two serve different purposes. A civil case involves the injured person seeking compensation from the responsible party, while a criminal case represents the state of Alabama prosecuting someone for committing a crime. Criminal Defense Attorney Roger Appell said Alabama uses strict liability when it comes to dog bites in civil cases. This means owners can be held liable if their dog was unprovoked and the injured person was on the property lawfully. Owners can also be sued if their dog chases someone off the property and injures them.For criminal charges to apply, the dog must have a history of aggressive behavior and be allowed to roam freely when it hurts or kills someone, Appell said.“In other words, you have to show that a dog has a propensity to commit some kind of violent act, so that they’d have to have done it once before in the past,” Appell said. “The first bite is basically, what they say, free under the common law.” The dog’s past behavior is the key factor in determining whether an attack would result in criminal charges.‘That’s disgusting’: Hotel under investigation after worker seen soaking bed sheets in a hot tubEscambia County Sheriff says the 2 children were killed before mobile home fire on Friday morning
Fox6 Birmingham Cullman County Hanceville Dog Attack Dog Bite Owner Liability One-Bite Rule Pet Owner Responsibility Strict Liability Alabama Myfoxal Alabama Dog Attacks Dog Attack Laws Liability Legal Consequences Dog Ownership
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