Dog Bite and Animal Attack Claims in Prince George's County, MD
Maryland's approach to dog bite liability changed significantly in 2014, and the change favors injured people. Under Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-1901, evidence that a dog caused personal injury, death, or property damage creates a rebuttable presumption that the owner knew or should have known that the dog had vicious or dangerous propensities. The statute applies to all dogs without regard to breed, and it was enacted in response to the breed-specific rule the Maryland Supreme Court adopted in Tracey v. Solesky, 427 Md. 627 (2012).
The presumption is meaningful but it is not strict liability. The owner may rebut it, and the common law defenses remain available. Contributory negligence applies, as does assumption of risk, and provocation is a recurring defense—particularly where the injured person is a child, since a defendant will characterize ordinary interaction with an animal as provocation.
Who Else May Be Responsible?
Liability is not limited to the owner. A person who keeps or harbors the animal may be responsible, and a landlord may be responsible where the landlord had knowledge of a dangerous animal on the premises and retained control over the area in which the attack occurred. That last route matters in apartment settings, where the owner is frequently uninsured and the property owner is not.
Coverage & Damages
Most dog bite claims are paid through homeowner's or renter's liability coverage, and some policies exclude particular breeds or exclude animal liability entirely. Damages commonly include emergency and reconstructive treatment, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and psychological injury, which in child cases can be the most substantial element. Photograph the injuries throughout healing, because scar appearance changes and the record of the early presentation is not recoverable later.
Report the attack to Prince George's County Animal Services or the equivalent local authority, both because reporting may be required and because the resulting record is evidence.