By keeping their pets secured and at a safe distance away from trick-or-treaters, dog owners can prevent potentially serious dog bites, says Bruce Millar of Atlanta’s Millar & Mixon, LLC.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 28, 2011
“Halloween should be a time of revelry, but it can quickly turn into a tragedy if an animal gets frightened and attacks a child or parents,” says Millar, whose Atlanta personal injury law firm, Millar & Mixon, LLC, represents dog bite victims throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area and the state of Georgia.
“Dog bites can lead to serious physical and emotional injuries and leave permanent scars,” Millar says. “That’s why it’s important to take a few basic safety measures that eliminate the risk of such attacks occurring on Halloween night.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 800,000 people across the country need medical attention for dog bites each year, with 386,000 requiring emergency room treatment and 16 attacks resulting in death.
Nearly half of those dog bite victims are children, the CDC reports. In particular, children ages 5- to 9 years face the highest rate of dog-bite related injuries.
The risk is elevated on Halloween, according to Millar. Dogs may become agitated by strangers coming on to their property, especially when they may be talking loud and making noises.
The Georgia dog bite attorney suggests that dog owners keep their pets in a room with a closed door or outdoors on a leash that’s safely distant from a walkway that trick-or-treaters will use. It may also help to give the dog a treat or to play music in the room in order to distract its attention from the activity at the front door, he said.
Millar also advises families to avoid trick-or-treating at homes where a dog can be heard barking from behind the door or within the yard. If approached by a loose dog, individuals should stand still and not do anything that may provoke an attack, he says.
“If the dog bites or attacks, and you’ve done nothing to cause that to happen, then you won’t be left without legal remedies,” Millar says. “Fortunately, Georgia law allows irresponsible dog owners to be held accountable, and for dog bite victims to be fully compensated for their injuries.”
According to Millar, Georgia law follows the “aggressive dog” rule. If a victim can show that the owner was aware that the dog had previously exhibited aggressive tendencies, such as growling or barking in a threatening manner, it is not necessary to prove the dog had already bitten someone in order to hold the owner liable in a personal injury lawsuit.
A dog owner can also be held liable if he or she allows a dog to escape from the home or yard or allows it to roam at large in violation of a local leash law, and a dog bite results from that violation, Millar says.
“Generally, compensation can be obtained through the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy, and a victim may obtain funds for any medical expenses that are incurred as well as other damages, including pain and suffering,” Millar says.
Because dog bite lawsuits can be complex, Millar suggests that victims and their families seek the advice and representation of a Georgia attorney who is experienced in this area of the law.
“At our law firm, we understand the tremendous physical and emotional trauma that can result from a dog attack, and we take these matters very seriously,” Millar says. “We work tirelessly to make sure that victims are fully and fairly compensated for their injuries.”
About Millar & Mixon, LLC
The personal injury law firm of Millar & Mixon, LLC, based in Atlanta, GA, focuses on representing persons injured in car, truck, motorcycle, bus and other motor vehicle accidents. The firm also handles DUI cases, slip and fall injuries and animal attacks and bites, among other personal injury claims. Since 1993 Atlanta attorney Bruce Millar has obtained judgments and settlements exceeding $60 million for his clients.
The firm represents Georgia accident and injury clients throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area and the state of Georgia, including Jonesboro, East Point, North Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Forest Park, College Park, Decatur, Roswell, Marietta, Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Riverdale. For more information, call (877) 475-7015 or contact the firm through its online form.
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Bruce Millar
Millar & Mixon, LLC
(770) 477-6360
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