Baltimore County Senator Bobby Zirkin (D.) argued advocates for respecting common law in regards to Maryland dog biting liability are in the wrong Thursday in comments to NPR affiliate WAMU.
The Maryland House and Senate are considering a compromise bill that would allow owners whose dog bit another person to not be held legally responsible if the owner could prove they did not know the dog was dangerous.
Zirkin dismissed the position of some that legal precedent which absolves owners whose dog attacked someone else from liability should be a relevant consideration. "There were a lot of things that were common law. Like slavery," he said.
Full statement:
BOBBY ZIRKIN: They are actually holding to the idea that if a dog hasn't bit somebody before that the victim — a blameless victim — would somehow in addition to being disfigured would now be responsible for their own injuries. Which I find borderline immoral. And just because it was the common law, there were a lot of things that were common law. Like slavery.
Zirkin, a trial lawyer who litigates dog bite cases, stands to financially benefit by increasing the liability of dog owners for the actions of their pets.