The first logical step here would be to submit a demand letter to the dog owner to demand payment of the vet bills by a certain date, failing which you will take legal action. Such a letter will probably have more impact if done by an attorney. If there is neither any witness nor video, though,... View More

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answered on May 19, 2024

You have a valid concern regarding your girlfriend's dog. When someone agrees to watch a pet and then gives it away without permission, it can be seen as a breach of trust and possibly a legal issue. The first step is to gather all the details, including any messages or agreements between your... View More

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

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

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 ...."

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

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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

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

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

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

No. That would be the responsibility of the owner of the animal.

Have you considered contacting FedEx and asking for compensation?

You could sign an indemnification and hold-harmless agreement, but that would only do your relatives' any good if you have the assets to satisfy any potential liability. It might be better to acquire liability insurance in an amount acceptable to your relatives.

In Florida pets are considered property. The court could order that the animals be divided 50/50 between the two of you but there will be no financial support.

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