Nebraska Dog Bite Lawyer

Nebraska’s dog bite statute, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-601, imposes strict liability upon dog owners under certain circumstances. This means that whether or not the owner knew that the dog had aggressive tendencies or an aggressive past is irrelevant for purposes of determining liability. Under Nebraska’s statute, the owner can be held strictly liable for damages caused by their dog biting a person. The statute also provides that an owner can be held strictly liable to a person, firm, or corporation for any damages when their dog kills, injures, or chases a person or a domestic animal that belongs to a person, firm, or corporation. If the victim was trespassing or provoking the dog at the time of the bite, then the owner will not be held liable. There are also certain exceptions for military dogs and police dogs.

Victims who suffer from non-bite injuries must rely on a different theory of liability, such as a negligence claim. A negligence claim requires the victim to prove that the owner owed them a duty (here, a duty to exercise reasonable care in controlling the dog), the owner breached that duty, and their injuries were proximately caused by this breach.