What Happens When Your Pet Gets Injured
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
For those of us that own pets, these animals are considered an important part of the family. Whether they are a dog, cat, hamster or even a lizard, their health and safety matter to us. It is hard enough to handle their naturally shortened life span, but sometimes their life is taken even sooner than that. Due to their limited understanding of the humans and the dangers that lie outside their home, pets are often very susceptible to injury and early deaths. It can be as simple as being hit by a car. Sadly, there are also times our beloved pets are harmed out of cruelty.So what happens when your pet is harmed or killed? Is there anything the courts can do? The quick answer is yes, but it is a bit more complicated than that. There are many things that have to be taken into account in order to establish whether someone else is truly to blame for their injuries. The first thing that needs to be taken into account is whether the injury or death was accidental or intentional.
What Happens If The Injury Or Death Is Accidental?
Sadly, accidents happen and sometimes it is your pet that pays the price of it. Often in accidental injury or death cases, another person is responsible for the accident and can be held liable for it. For example, if your dog was hit by a car than the driver is typically the liable party. Luckily, if you were to take your case to court, you have a pretty high chance of winning your case.
However, the payout is often pretty low and may only barely cover the cost of medical treatment. In fact, most lawyers will advise you against pursuing your case and will be reluctant to take on such a case themselves. That being said, you may only want to pursue this case if the injuries are serious enough to make all the trouble and low payout worth it.
What Happens If The Injury Or Death Is Intentional?
Not many things are as horrible as intentional harming an animal. The deliberate execution or torture of an animal is a criminal act and the perpetrator may be liable for the damages. This becomes especially serious in cases where the animal was more than a househould pet. For example, guide dogs for the blind are not just pets, but are greatly depended on by the blind owner. By harming or killing this animal, you have greatly impacted the owner's ability to support themselves.
Much like with any injury or death case, a lot of investigating is needed in order to understand the circumstances of the attacked animal as well as weighting the value of the pet itself. While some lawyers and law firms are specialized in animal-related cases, many tend to treat pets as property damage under the law. You should make sure to get a lawyer with experience in animal cases before you proceed with your case.