October 1, 2014

Question

I am not sure what legal topic this falls under, but my dog bit someone a few months back and we offered to help with medical expenses, but everything was taken care of with health insurance. Now, my parents are being sued and taken to the supreme court. They are threatening that we can lose our house.. and I'm honestly scared. Everything that I've researched showed that dog bite cases go to small claims court but he's after more and we don't have the money for a lawyer and he's only doing this because he thinks we have assets. We're stuck and stressed and I could really use some guidance. Please and thank you!

Answer

If there's a mortgage on the property, they likely were required to obtain homeowner's insurance. Contact the carrier and they'll assign a lawyer to the case. If the dog bit someone in the past, the requisite 'prior notice' of the dog's temperament /propensity would mean your parents are likely to be held liable for injuries the dog inflicted. If they don't have insurance, they'd be well-advised to retain a lawyer at their own expense, rather than risk a judgment against them.


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