Debunking The Notion Of The One-Bite Rule

The potential of encountering an aggressive or vicious dog while on your bike in Pomona (and your recommended course of action) has been detailed on this blog in the past. Yet as has also been pointed out, despite your best efforts at escaping such a situation, the threat of suffering a dog bite is ever-present. Oftentimes a bite may not develop into a significant injury, yet there may be just as many cases where the damage inflicted upon you can be extensive. Those in such situations often come to us here at The Law Offices of Christian J. Amendt asking what legal recourse might be available to them.

The notion exists that dog owners are immune from liability the first time that their animal attacks another. This is due to the existence of “the one-bite rule.” According to the Cornell Law School, the one-bite rule stipulates that dog owners are only liable if previous incidents had indicated that their animal had aggressive or violent tendencies. Essentially, this lets them off the hook the first time that their dog attacks someone.

Yet simply because the one-bite rule exists does not necessarily mean that it applies to your case. In fact, its application is not universal. California is among many states that recognizes strict statutory liability in dog bite cases, meaning that a dog owners is always deemed liable for the actions of their animal even in those cases where the dog had not previously acted aggressively towards others.

You can learn more about assigning liability for injuries sustained in a biking accident by continuing to explore our site.