If you live in an apartment building and are attacked by neighboring tenant’s dog, the tenant may be liable, but what about the landlord? Can the landlord be held accountable even though he wasn’t on the premises when the attack occurred? Absolutely. In Colorado, the premise liability statute rule that applies to commercial property owners would apply to landlords in regards to dog bites. Commercial owners are liable for any injury that occurs on their property as a result of failure to properly warn of potential hazards and/or take proper safety measures to avoid potential danger.

Landlord Liability
 
Legally a landlord can be held liable for any activity on his property if:

• He knew of and consented to the activity; and
• He knew of or had reason to know the activity would unavoidably involve an unreasonable amount of risk and/or that preventative safety measures or special precaution would not be taken.

Landlord liability laws do vary from state to state. In some states the landlord is not held liable when a dog on his property bites a tenant. In other states, a landlord may be held liable for injuries inflicted by a tenant’s dog if he knew he had a dangerous dog occupying his property and failed to take action to confine or control the dog, like failing to fix a fence or gate, which resulted in an increased risk of danger.

Colorado Dog Bite Laws
 
A dog owner can be held liable for serious bodily injuries inflicted on another person, or the death of another person, by his dog. It does not matter whether the owner knew or did not know his dog had a propensity to bite or be vicious. If the victim was not trespassing on the owner’s property when the attack occurred and the dog was not provoked, the victim could bring civil action against the owner. A Colorado personal injury attorney will review all of the events surrounding your attack and assess if you have a case.

How Can a Colorado Personal Injury Attorney Help?
 
Vicious dog attacks leave victims with serious physical, emotional and psychological wounds that often leave permanent scars. The ordeal touches family members and bystanders who were witnesses, whom may have even been hurt themselves as they rushed to your assistance. Do not settle with the dog owner’s insurance company and settle for less than you deserve. Let the Colorado personal injury attorneys at the O’Connell Law Firm, P.C. bring their 40 years of legal and negotiating experience to your case and get you the fair compensation you’re entitled to. Contact their office for a free initial consultation.