Find Articles by Topic:

Nolo Logo

Since 1971, Nolo's goal has been simple: Make America's legal system accessible to everyone. Our website, books, software, online legal forms and lawyer directory help millions of individuals, businesses and nonprofits solve their legal problems each year.

Small text sizeMedium text sizeLarge text size Print this page
 

Can I sue a groomer who burned my dog's tail?

Question:

The dog groomer "burned" the underside of my dog's tail, but did not disclose the injury, which was noted by the vet later. I paid the groomer by check -- and also incurred expenses to heal the dog's tail. Can the grooming fee be recovered?

Answer:

If you haven't yet done so, ask the groomer to reimburse you for your expenses. If the groomer caused the injury, he or she should cover your vet bill -- and refund what you paid for the grooming, if only as a good business measure.

If the groomer says "no," consider putting his or her feet to the fire in small claims court. First, write a demand letter stating your case and asking for the grooming fee and the cost of the vet's bill.

To succeed on your claim, you'll need to have evidence -- perhaps a statement from the vet -- that careless grooming injured the dog. Embarrassing as it might be for Fido, it would also help your case if you could produce photos of the injured tail area.

Nolo posts updates to the latest versions of books and software when major legal or practical changes occur. To see if your product has had a recent update, search for that book or software and visit its product page.

Related Products

All Dogs, Cats & Pets products >

Find A Lawyer

Enter zip or city, state ("Boston, MA")

Advertise Here

Attorney Profiles

Attorneys: Get Listed

Advertisement

Advertise Here
Ask a Family Lawyer Online