Many apartment complexes allow tenants to keep dogs, including dangerous breeds such as pit bulls and rottweilers. If a dog attack occurs in a North Carolina apartment complex, the injured party may have a claim against the owner and keeper of the dog and the apartment complex itself. Our attorneys have experience handling dog bite claims occurring at apartment complexes and multi-family housing communities. To speak with our lead personal injury attorney, T. Shawn Howard, regarding your claim, call the firm at (919) 526-0450 or visit our contact page.
Dog Bite Liability
An important thing to know in dog bite cases is whether or not insurance is available. Many tenants do not realize this and negotiate a small settlement with the dog owner without the involvement of insurance. Fortunately, many apartment complexes now require tenants to purchase renter’s insurance through companies such as Geico, State Farm, and others. Most renters’ insurance policies, in turn, provide a minimum of $100,000 in liability coverage. This means that if the renter’s dog caused you or your family member damage, and the renter can be held legally liable, the insurance company must pay a settlement or verdict up to the policy’s maximum amount. This can make a huge difference in trying to get your life back on track after a severe attack.
Holcomb Case
Another interesting aspect of a dog bite claim in an apartment complex is that under certain circumstances, the complex itself can be held liable for your physical harms and financial losses. The seminal case on this subject in North Carolina is Holcomb v. Colonial Associates, L.L.C. What Holcomb and other cases like it indicate is that if the landlord is aware that his or her tenant is keeping a dangerous dog, and the landlord has a contractual right to remove the dangerous dog, the landlord can be held legally liable if the dog attacks an innocent victim. It is essentially a negligence case because the landlord failed to protect the community.
Experienced Personal Injury Representation
Maginnis Howard offers free consultations to all personal injury victims. If you have a dog bite case at an apartment complex, contact our office. If we represent you, we will do so on a contingency basis—meaning you don’t owe anything unless we win. To schedule a free consultation, visit our contact page or Live Chat feature. We are conveniently located across the state in Raleigh, Charlotte, and Fayetteville.
