[Mrs.K]

After being bashed by Army Wives for saying that something seriously is wrong with a country that allows criminals to sue over the victim for getting bitten in a house where THEY broke into I am trying to find out if this actually happened or not.

Somebody wrote that people crate their dogs (yeah, yeah i know, the crating thing, once again) because they fear that somebody might break in and sue them over for getting bitten. That is when I said that there is seriously something wrong with a country (any country for that matter) if they'd allow that to happen.

I've been googling for two hours and couldn't find any news on this case. I've been checking snoopes too but couldn't find anything either. So is it true? Did it happen? Did a burglar get bit by a dog, sued over the owners and won?

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

I don't know about that one, but I heard one where a thief fell through a sky light onto a kitchen knife, sued, and won. That might be an urban legend as well.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Try checking snopes.com: Urban Legends Reference Pages

 

[Mrs.K]

Try checking snopes.com: Urban Legends Reference Pages

I couldn't find anything on snopes either. I think I remember that somebody on here talked about that too. In that topic where people said that the beware of a dog sign would be a bad idea since it proofs that your dog is being aggressive and you knew all along.

 

[Lin]

I've heard one about a burglar that got trapped in the garage, and lived off dog food and pepsi until the owners came home from vacation.. Then sued and won.

But I think if you were stuck in a garage you could find something to break down a door with?

 

[Mrs.K]

I've heard one about a burglar that got trapped in the garage, and lived off dog food and pepsi until the owners came home from vacation.. Then sued and won.

But I think if you were stuck in a garage you could find something to break down a door with?

that one I found on snopes, it's a legend.

there is a whole list that came out in 2001 but they are all legends.

 

[Jax's Mom]

I agree with you completely.
In Canada it's illegal to set bear traps on your own property lest a person trespass and get hurt in one.
Check this out: David Chen trial: Anthony Bennett stays in jail | Posted Toronto | National Post Storeowner gets arrested for chasing down a thief, tying him up and holding him in his van till police showed up... The storeowner also got weapons charges because he had a box cutter in his pocket.
I'm getting soooo sick and tired of everyone having rights to everything except living without the fear of being sued. I miss violence, I'd much rather be punched in the face if I wrong someone than spend the rest of my life being sued or paying out the nose in insurance.

 

[DharmasMom]

I've heard one about a burglar that got trapped in the garage, and lived off dog food and pepsi until the owners came home from vacation.. Then sued and won.

But I think if you were stuck in a garage you could find something to break down a door with?

If you are that stupid to get stuck inside a garage then you really deserve to be beat with a pipe. Most garages have a garage door opener with a controller inside the garage. Even if the garage door is manual it still can be unlocked and opened from the inside.

I really hope this is an UL.

 

[vat]

I am not sure if it really happened but I do know that criminals here sue for stupid crap and win! So I can only imagine that yes a criminal can sue you if your dog bites while he is ripping you off.

 

[bravo25]

like my dad a vietnam vet alwasy said a good old swift ass whooping never did no harm , just taught a good lesson , but now days every one is worried about fellings and hurting them , come one

 

[Montana Scout]

i heard one that a robber came in through a house sunroof thing, fell and stabbed himself... ive heard both its true and myth... but talking to my cop buddy, definatly plausible.. i hate people

 

[selzer]

The thing is, criminals CAN sue. They can sue over anything really. The prison does not let them wear women's underwear -- lawsuit. Will they win? No, well probably not. But the expense to the person being sued can be extensive.

If your dog bites someone, he is caught and because this is his umpteenth offense, he has to sit in jail for years, it is actually something for him to do, to work on a lawsuit against you.

In Ohio, if your dog bites someone when it is being teased, or when the individual is committing a crime, your dog cannot be deemed a dangerous dog and you cannot be held CRIMINALLY negligent.

But that does not mean the guy can't sue you, because he can.

It just means that you cannot be sentenced to JAIL for your dog injuring or killing someone on your property when they are committing a crime -- the thing about teasing, is well, I would not stake my dogs' lives on the jury coming back ok on that one.

I do not know if there is something wrong with our country. I think sometimes our legal system needs an enema. But things have to get beyond rediculous before there is any reform.

Placing restrictions on someone being able to sue is really difficult. Just because no one ever did it before, does not mean that the situation wasn't really bad.

What I worry about is people leaving dogs loose in cars with the windows well open. Some yayhoo puts his hand in the dog's owner's car and comes away with a bloody stump. He is going to sue. He is going to say he just wanted to pet the dog. Will he win? Will a jury of our peers vote for or against us. What if the jury selection eliminates all dog owners. Not a jury of our peers, but they might. Ya just never know how a jury will go with stuff like that. So I crate my dogs in my car, and hope to God no one is foolish enough to stick their fingers through the grill.

 

[JKlatsky]

I couldn't find anything on snopes either. I think I remember that somebody on here talked about that too. In that topic where people said that the beware of a dog sign would be a bad idea since it proofs that your dog is being aggressive and you knew all along.

I don't think it proves it, but it could be a piece of evidence in a case that was being made. I think there is a portion of pet owners out there who will willfully ignore Fluffy's bad behavior. So to build a case that the owner was negligent in taking proper precautions to prevent Fluffy from biting...You sort of have to prove that the owner knew it was a possibility first.

Not saying it's right, but we follow Florida statute here.... Bad Dog signs.

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

This is why, if you ever have to defend yourself in your own home from an intruder, shoot to kill. Don't want them to be able to sue afterward.

 

[selzer]

This is why, if you ever have to defend yourself in your own home from an intruder, shoot to kill. Don't want them to be able to sue afterward.

Hope you cannot be traced to your real name here. Because if you ever do kill an intruder, if their family member could link you to this statement, they could probably sue you for some type of wrongful death as you contemplated killing an intruder to prevent litigation. That is not an appropriate reason to kill someone. They can say, that you could have held him at bay with the weapon until police came, but you chose to kill because you did not want to be bothered with possible lawsuits.

They may not win, but you will probably have to get a lawyer and all that.

 

[paulag1955]

Well anyone can file a lawsuit but that doesn't mean that it won't be thrown out or that they'll win. I actually think a criminal would be pretty stupid to do so because it would be an admission of guilt.

 

[KZoppa]

Well anyone can file a lawsuit but that doesn't mean that it won't be thrown out or that they'll win. I actually think a criminal would be pretty stupid to do so because it would be an admission of guilt.

i have to agree but sadly where we live and the time we live in, the people who are good and dont cause trouble are usually the ones who get into trouble because the trouble makers will do everything they can to win. Nice guys are finishing last more than ever.

 

[Elaine]

It's true: a criminal can sue you for getting bitten after breaking into your house. You do not have the right to hurt someone unless you are in imminent danger. If they were threatening you with physical violence and had the means to do it and you could not get away, then you can hurt them.

 

[KZoppa]

It's true: a criminal can sue you for getting bitten after breaking into your house. You do not have the right to hurt someone unless you are in imminent danger. If they were threatening you with physical violence and had the means to do it and you could not get away, then you can hurt them.

see... this is one of the many reasons why i LOVE colorado. the Make My Day law. Someone comes onto your property with the intent to break in/cause harm, you are legally allowed to shoot them. You are legally allowed to protect yourself on YOUR property. If that means sending your dog after them, fine. far as i'm concerned... everywhere else sucks.

 

[Montana Scout]

see... this is one of the many reasons why i LOVE colorado. the Make My Day law. Someone comes onto your property with the intent to break in/cause harm, you are legally allowed to shoot them. You are legally allowed to protect yourself on YOUR property. If that means sending your dog after them, fine. far as i'm concerned... everywhere else sucks.

same here in montana... just cant shoot them in the back if they are trying to run away