A dog owner in Oklahoma has a duty to act in a reasonable manner to prevent his or her dog from roaming in areas where it is free to attack and bite unsuspecting citizens.
If the dog owner breaches this duty of care, he or she may be liable under a negligence theory for any injuries caused by an Okmulgee dog bite.
Furthermore, Oklahoma has special laws concerning dogs that have been labeled “dangerous” by Okmulgee animal control.
Okmulgee Dog Bite Laws
A dog is considered “dangerous” if it has severely injured a human for no reason or it has killed another dog. The owner of a dangerous dog can be penalized by Oklahoma statute if the dog attacks and injures a person.
Oklahoma statutes dictate how a dangerous dog must be kept. For example, there are certain measurements for such a dog’s crate, within which it must be kept in at all times, unless the dog is curbed by a muzzle and leash.
If the owner of a dangerous dog violates these statutory restrictions, he or she could be jailed for up to one year, fined up to $5,000, or both.
If the dog kills someone because the dog’s owner was in violation of the state statute, the owner can go to prison for up to five years, fined $25,000, or both.
Additional Considerations
The Oklahoma statutes only impose penalties on the dog’s owner for violations; they don’t provide compensation for a victim’s injuries due to an Okmulgee dog bite.
Therefore, if you are bitten by a “dangerous” dog, you will have to pursue a civil claim against the owner. However, the claim will be a bit different than the negligence claim filed for a dog that has not been labeled a “dangerous” dog.
For “dangerous” dogs, where you can prove that the owner violated the state statute and the violation caused your injuries, your claim will be based on a negligence per se theory. Negligence per se is much easier to win than simple negligence; all you have to show is that the dog owner violated the statute.
Low-cost Consultation: Okmulgee Dog Bite Attorney
If you have been bitten by a dog and would like to discuss whether you have a personal injury claim, contact the Okmulgee dog bite attorney at the Personal Injury Law Office of Okmulgee today.
For a low-cost, no-obligation consultation, call 918-756-9600, or send your question using the email form on this page.
