Question:

Which is the best synthesized rule based on prior cases?

Context:

• Fact Pattern:You have been sued under a law that reads: "If a dog injures a person without provocation, then the dog's owner must pay the medical expenses of the injured person."Your dog, Diggety, bit your neighbor, Jada Jones, after Jada inadvertently stepped on the dog's tail causing the dog to yelp in pain.You want to know if you will have to pay Jada's doctor bills.
• Prior Cases:

1. Smith v. Albano:A delivery boy threw a newspaper over thick bushes and hit a sleeping dog on the other side.The dog ran after the boy and bit his leg.The judge held that the dog was not provoked and, therefore, the owner must pay the medical expenses.
2. Barnett v. Rosen:A dog was barking in front of the plaintiff's home, so he went over and hit the dog with a stick to get him to stop.The dog then bit the plaintiff's arm. The court held that the plaintiff provoked the dog and, therefore, the owner is not required to pay the plaintiff's doctor bills.
3. Matthews v. Donaldson:A girl threw a stone at her neighbor's dog, but missed and did not hit the dog.The dog then bit the girl's arm.The judge held that the girl provoked the dog and, therefore, the owner is not required to pay the girl's medical expenses.