I am very sorry for your loss of your friend, please accept my condolences. You will need to have a probate attorney look at the Will in order to determine if it is valid and enforceable, generally it will need to have two witnesses and the signature of the testator (the deceased). The property... View More

In the state of Florida, a dog owner is automatically liable for any damages that the dog caused to a third-party. If you own or rent property, your renters or homeowners insurance may provide a legal defense to any claim that is brought against you by the injured plaintiff. While a warning sign is... View More

Yes, for the fair market value of the deceased cat and any vet bills incurred due to the incident. Unless the cat is some kind of high-priced purebred, the FMV won't be much. Perhaps a monetary demand to the owner will result in amicable resolution, so that you won't need to sue.... View More

Sure. But here's the thing. Unless your cats were a rare breed, there's no money in it. Cats are property, like a bicycle or a desk. You can't sue for pain and suffering or emotional distress regardless of how sad you are that the cats were killed. MAYBE you can sue for trespassing,... View More

The short answer is that chickens and other animals that are not mammals do not get rabies. Rabies is almost always transmitted by bites, thus the importance of vaccinating domesticated carnivore mammals (with teeth designed to bite and eat meat) as opposed to herbivores (with teeth designed for... View More

These would be policy decisions by your County Commission and are lawful unless it can be shown they would violate the State and/or Federal Constitutions (and a Court would agree with that argument). If there were to be any constitutional argument (and I'm not saying there is), litigation... View More

In Florida, a landlord is liable for any injuries that a third-party suffers due to a tenants dog attack. The third-party could pursue a claim against the landlord based on a theory of negligence, if the landlord knew or should’ve known that the dog had violent propensities. You should also call... View More

An attorney would need to read the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Easements and Restrictions to determine if the HOA is overstepping its authority. HOAs generally have the ability to adopt reasonable rules and regulations as well as long as the rule has a legitimate business need. It may... View More

As a dog parent myself, I am so sorry to hear about that. Sedation is a necessary part of euthanization, but if you're wondering if you can successfully sue the vet for money damages for your emotional distress caused by the vet rendering your dog unconscious while you were out of the room... View More

Maybe they stole the dog, maybe not. But if they are not communicating with you because they want a "reward", they may be guilty of something.

Did they call you and send pictures of the dog by a cell phone? If so, you or the police can probably trace the call and identify them... View More

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

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

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