This page introduces Texas attorneys to animal behavior | dog bite expert witness Richard Polsky, Ph.D.

Dr. Polsky welcomes inquiries from attorneys in Texas looking for an  animal behavior specialist to opine about issues commonly found in dog bite litigation involving canines of all breeds and of all temperaments.

Animal behavior issues include, but are not limited to, dog behavior, dog aggression, dog attacks that are not provoked, irresponsible dog ownership, and dangerous dog breeds  supposedly inherently dangerous, such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, and various mastiff breeds, such as Cane corsos.

Dr.  Polsky is an experienced and well-qualified expert witness.  He has been retained by Texas attorneys on many occasions to render testimony on numerous occasions regarding issues of animal behavior that  frequently occur in cases involving dog bites in the state of Texas. Attorneys can be confident that Dr. Polsky will offer them counsel that is both candid and expert, rather than merely the counsel they wish to receive.

 Questions for the animal behavior dog bite expert witness in Texas

With regard to the state of Texas, the plaintiff is required to prove that the owner or landlord of the dog knew or ought to have known about the dog’s dangerous tendencies prior to the incident. There are no “strict liability” laws in place for dog bites in the state of Texas, in contrast to the states of California and Arizona. There is a possibility that the plaintiff will prevail in their case if they are able to demonstrate that the defendant was negligent in the manner in which the dog was contained, managed, or handled. ^[1] The website run by the law school at Michigan State University contains an excellent summary of the dog bite laws in Texas  and in other states.

• Texas dog bite attorneys may need  answers to the following animal behavior questions:
• Did the owner or landlord know that the dog was dangerous?
• Was the owner or landlord negligent in the way the dog was maintained or handled?
• Was the  attack by the dog on the plaintiff foreseeable?
•  Did the plaintiff provoke the attack by the canine?
•  Are pit bulls and attack-trained police K9s naturally dangerous animals?but are they also dangerous?
•  Was the victim bitten or scratched by the canine?

In most cases, Dr. Polsky can render an expert opinion on these questions by taking into consideration all of the elements that were present at the time of the accident.

Examples of canine attacks in Texas where expert witness opinion might prove beneficial

Listed below are some instances of dog attacks that have taken place in the state of Texas. Some of the issues  in these cases include negligence and the knowledge that a reasonable person ought to have had about the dog’s tendency to be vicious. It’s important to note that Texas does not hold dog owners  strictly liable for injuries that their dogs cause, in contrast to nearby states like Arizona.

• A pit bull mauls a child who is only one year old, resulting in the child’s death in 2011 in  Magnolia, Texas.   Were the owners of the pitbull negligent in the way they handled this canine?
• In Galveston, Texas, in September of 2011, a Labrador retriever bit a jogger. Dogs frequently attack people who jog, which may be because the movement of joggers makes some dogs more likely to attack. The victim suffered severe pain in his legs, multiple bites, and tearing his skin.   Was this incident foreseeable based on the behavioral history of this Labrador?  The lawsuit alleged that this Labrador retriever had dangerous tendencies that were “abnormal for its class” and that the dog had attacked other people before September 2011. Animal behavior expert  witness testimony would be beneficial in dog attacks like these.
• A German Shepherd  bit the face of a lady in a Petco store in Fort Worth in 2017.   She received permission to pet the dog by the owner; the lady leaned down to pet the dog, and the dog lunged and bit her in the face. She sustained two lacerations under her eye (one was deep), 2 chipped front teeth, and bottom lip cuts and bruises.  Did the victim provoke the dog?  Were the policies of Petco faulty given?  That the management of Petco must’ve known that dogs  will bite people and that German shepherds bite people at disproportionately high rates?   Again, this is another question that requires the expertise of an animal behavior dog bite expert witness knowledgeable about  Texas dog law.