Massachusetts dog bite law in Chicopee
In Chicopee, as everywhere in Massachusetts, the owner or keeper pays for any damage the dog does, unless you trespassed or teased it. The rule is M.G.L. c. 140, s. 155.
The time to sue is 3 years, set by M.G.L. c. 260, s. 2A. Insurers know the date too, so do not let it slip.
One more Massachusetts rule to know. Child under 7: presumed not to have provoked the dog (M.G.L. c. 140, s. 155).
Read the full Massachusetts dog bite laws for the exceptions and the rules on shared fault.
Reporting the bite and filing in Hampden County
Report the bite to Mass.gov, rabies protocols. Give the date, the place, the dog and the owner's name if you know it. The report also becomes a record for your claim.
Massachusetts rabies rules set the quarantine that follows a bite. Larger cases go to the Hampden County Superior Court in Springfield.
If the claim does not settle, it is filed with the Hampden County Superior Court.
Dog bite lawyers in Chicopee: what the free call covers
- Whether Massachusetts's rule fits what happened and what the owner knew about the dog.
- Whose policy pays, usually the owner's home or renters insurance.
- Your own last day to file, which comes sooner against a public body.
Want a rough number first? The settlement calculator asks three questions.
