A lawsuit was recently filed in Snohomish County Superior Court alleging that a man died from a dog bite. The complaint alleges that the bite on the man’s finger caused a blood clot that got infected that led to a diagnosis of Capnocytophaga canimorsus sepsis, a bacterium commonly found in the saliva of cats and dogs.
Washington State dog owners are held strictly liable to individuals injured by their dogs. This strict liability attaches to the owner regardless of whether the dog had a history of viciousness, was on public property or private property. RCW 16.08.040.
If the victim’s family in the Snohomish County lawsuit can prove the bite caused the death, the owner of the dog is responsible to pay the damages. If the owner had homeowners’ insurance, that policy should cover the loss.
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