If my dog injured a neighbor’s dog and they had to take it to the vet and euthanize it, what is my liability?
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If my dog injured a neighbor’s dog and they had to take it to the vet and euthanize it, what is my liability?
They sent me a certified letter to pay for the vet bill which I agreed upon on the condition they sign a full and final release stating that I paid them. They are unwilling to sign the document and just want to take me to court. I don’t want to go that route and have to pay more for court fees. They also said they would be seeking medical reimbursement for the new dog they purchased. Can I be made responsible for that?
Asked on January 27, 2015 under Business Law, Texas
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
They can potentially get the economic value of the dog (i.e. what it was worth, which might be $0 in the case of an adopted rescue dog who was not some sort of valuable purebreed) and possibly the medical costs directly associated with the injury your dog did (i.e. the euthanizia bill), but cannot get legal fees; the cost to buy a new dog or that dog's medical care (e.g. shots); or emotional damages.
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