QUESTION: My dog broke his leash because another person refused to stop teasing her. My dog was so upset, she bit the person. This happened in the City of Alexandria. Do I have to pay for the medical bills?

ANSWER: A defense may include contributory negligence. This means that a person who is even 1 percent responsible for an accident has no legal right to compensation for medical bills. See, Virginia Code § 3.2-6540. Control of dangerous or vicious dogs; penalties. Visit Alexandria's website for more dog information. This site also explains dog owner rules. 

Be careful if you have a dog. A dog bite could be severe. Personal injuries include: physical injuries, scars, lost earnings, medical bills, mental suffering, physical pain, inconvenience, embarrassment, medications and scar revision/plastic surgery to reduce the unsightly dog bite scarring and future losses.