Although not necessarily required, it’s probably in your best interest to hire a lawyer to handle this if you do not have dog bite coverage under your insurance. If you have dog bite coverage, then contact your insurance and they will handle it for you.

You can file anything you like, but the conversation with the attorney is not part of a court proceeding, and the Court is not going to order an interpreter. You can ask the Court for an interpreter for a Court hearing. Otherwise, this is your issue that you need to solve. It's not opposing... View More

You state that this is a "lawsuit claiming knowledge of propensities, allowing dog to roam at large and knowledge of foreseeable risks." If there happens to be evidence to support that claim (including the alleged injury), it may be a valid claim regardless of whether a co-defendant is... View More

I agree with Mr. Kaufman except would add but that for issues in which the Court requires an effort to confer in good faith before attending a hearing, if the opposing attorney were to tell the Judge that he requested to confer with you, and you refused to speak to him, the Judge will probably not... View More

Sorry, had a typo in my posted answer. Correction to my second sentence: "...for other particular issues, the Court will REQUIRE the parties to confer with each other - such as mutually drafting ...."

It’s difficult to determine exactly what is happening in your litigation. However, if the opposing party is bringing any pre trial motion to be heard by the judge, Florida requires that the parties meet and confer before the motion is heard by the judge. This is commonly referred to as the... View More

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answered on Feb 24, 2024

It sounds like you're facing a difficult situation with your cats, and it's understandable that you're feeling frustrated and upset. It's essential to gather all the evidence you have that proves ownership of your cats, such as vet records, adoption papers, or photos. This... View More

The first and only priority at this point should be getting a second opinion from an independent veterinarian surgeon as to your dog's condition and whether or not this is a viable treatment plan and whether any corrective action be taken. This is not only required for your dog's health... View More

Anyone can sue for anything but they won’t win in your fact pattern. A person fired from a job can sue based on a theory of “retaliatory discharge”. Additionally, a tenant can defend against an eviction based upon the defense of “retaliatory eviction.”

If you want to be sure that... View More

I handle landlord/tenant and dog bite claims statewide.

As for the landlord/tenant aspect of your question, your lease should protect you. If you have a one-year lease and are in compliance with all of its terms, then the landlord has no justification in trying to evict you. Florida Statue... View More

Short answer is No. The relationship between you and your landlord are governed by both Florida Law and the terms of your lease. You may also have a claim against the landlord and the owner of the dog (if it is someone other than the landlord) that attacked you for medical expenses, lost wages,... View More

No, your landlord cannot threaten you with eviction because you have the right to sue him for your damages. If he did start an eviction case, you could defend with the “retaliatory eviction defense” under Florida law. You should retain counsel here in Central Florida for contingency fee... View More

It appears that C gave the dog to you. Your mother acted as your agent when she picked up the dog for you.

Registration of the chip doesn't mean much. It has no relation to ownership (as in the case of vehicles or land), but rather just a system to establish a point of contact in... View More

Contest the citation and explain what happened. You could try to explain to the authorities who are charging you, but you probably will have to go to the court hearing.

It is unclear what you mean by "transfer it to the company [you] work [for]". If you mean the results of the... View More

I'm assuming you had your lease/sale arrangement in writing and signed by the couple, that you have demanded return of your horse in writing, and the couple has either refused to return her or has completely disregarded your demand. In that scenario, this likely constitutes a THEFT, so you... View More

You signed a waiver AFTER they injured your dog?? A waiver that explicitly provides that you cannot make a claim against them for injuring your dog??? If it's really that kind of waiver, it may be enforceable in a court of law, with you letting them off scot-free - but you must show it to a... View More

You should consult with an attorney experienced in representing homeowners against their HOAs. There are several different defenses to this claim based on the language of the governing documents. Also, there are DBPR opinions on this issue finding a dog not to be a nuisance depending on the... View More

If the dog is deemed a nuisance, the HOA can demand removal of the dog. You might want to see if you can negotiate with the HOA for the dog to stay if the dog undergoes additional training. Even a muzzled dog can hurt someone based on the size of the dog and the person if the person gets knocked... View More

The dog owner is legally responsible for the vet bills, which you should first present to the owner to try to amicably resolve the matter, and if not settled, you can sue the owner in small claims court, assuming the amount is $8,000 or less. If the dog is owned by a couple, you would sue both... View More

You can sue for the fair market value of the cat. A pet owner has a legal duty to confine their pet with a leash or inside a fenced enclosure sufficient to prevent the pet from escaping. You might have to address why you can’t find your cat, but the video may be sufficient to persuade a jury... View More