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Indiana Dog Bite Law Definitions: What Makes a Dog a Dangerous Dog?

According to Indiana dog-bite law, in most cases dogs are presumed not to be dangerous until they have displayed aggressive behavior. But understanding when a dog should be labeled as dangerous is key to understanding your Indiana dog attack case, as well as knowing whether or not you may deserve compensation in the wake of a serious dog bite injury.

How can you tell if your dog – or the dog that attacked you – may have been considered dangerous before the dog bite incident took place? While all dog bite cases are different, we’ve listed a few examples of what behaviors have been considered aggressive in past dangerous-dog cases:

Your dog has bitten a human in the past when unprovoked.
Your dog has bitten another dog or another animal (cat, livestock, etc.) in the past when unprovoked.
Your dog has snapped at other humans or animals in the past.
Your dog has acted aggressively towards others in the past – for example, your dog as snarled or lunged at others.
Neighbors have complained to authorities concerning the aggression of your dog – for example, if your neighbors have called animal control or the police because of your dog’s aggressive barking or other actions.
Your dog has injured a human or another dog by jumping on them or by playing too roughly. Remember, a dog doesn’t have to have bad intentions to be considered dangerous.
Your dog has frightened others in the past.

When analyzing an Indiana dog-bite case, it is vital to ask the following questions: should the owner have known that the dog was potentially dangerous or aggressive? Was the owner negligent or careless with the dog? Did the dog-bite victim provoke the attack in any way or display careless behavior?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Indiana dog attack, you may need legal assistance when seeking compensation. Call the Indianapolis dog injury lawyers at Keller & Keller LLP today to set up a free initial appointment.