Yes. California holds dog owners responsible in most bite cases. That includes if you are bitten while at an off-leash dog park.
A Bell CA victim could ask the dog owner for help paying for any medical care needed and with replacing any lost income while the victim can’t work.
Dog Park Accident Dangers in and Around Bell
Dog parks are places where dogs can run free and play until they wear themselves out. Many residents in Bell take their pets over to nearby parks like the South Gate Dog Park and Florence Place Dog Park in Bell Gardens.
The parks provide a great time for pets and owners, but sometimes dogs can get carried away or become frightened and lash out with a bite.
A victim’s hands may be the first target, suffering fractured fingers or wrist damage. A dog park visitor may suffer a deep wound on the arm that’s at risk of infection from the bacteria in a dog’s mouth. The ankles may be vulnerable to a crushing grip from a dog’s mouth.
Who Is Responsible When a Dog Bites Someone at a Dog Park?
Dog owners are generally liable for the actions of their dogs, especially for a bite incident. They must do everything possible to protect people from any chance of being bitten by their dogs. That “duty of care” extends to a dog park, even when turning their dogs loose from their leashes.
California uses the legal concept of “strict liability.” The law means dog owners are accountable for bites, even if the dog has never shown aggression at the dog park or bitten anyone in any location.
Generally, the dog owner would only escape liability if someone at a dog park was provoking the dog.
The dog owner could be liable for any ambulance response fees, emergency room bills, and physical therapy costs. The dog owner’s homeowners or renters’ insurance policy would usually provide support. However, insurers can deny responsibility or try to limit the support victims receive. A skilled Bell Dog Bite Lawyer would be collecting evidence to make sure an insurer couldn’t wiggle free of liability.
What If a Dog Knocks Me Down at a Los Angeles County Dog Park and I Get Hurt?
Strict liability makes it easier for victims to identify who is financially responsible for an injury and to get financial help in recovery. But strict liability doesn’t apply to all injuries, only bite wounds.
If a dog at a dog park knocks someone down and they are injured, perhaps suffering a broken wrist as they went to catch themselves, an injury claim can still be filed. However, a different set of personal injury laws would apply. Victims, or their dog bite lawyers, would have to provide more proof that the dog and the dog owner caused the accident and injury.
How Much Is My Dog Bite Case Worth?
Figuring out a dependable estimate of what your case is worth would only be possible after your attorney had heard the details of your case and was able to investigate.
A reliable figure may not be available until then, but a settlement check amount would be determined by several factors:
- Totals on hospital bills and emergency response fees.
- Totals on physical therapy costs.
- The estimated costs of living a life with a permanent disability or long-term disfigurement.
- Assigned value to the physical pain endured.
- Assigned value to the emotional trauma the victim suffered in a frightening attack and difficult recovery.
- Value of travel costs to see doctors and specialists.
- Totals on the income and benefits lost while a victim couldn’t work.
- Wrongful death benefits. If the unthinkable happens and you lose a loved one to a dog bite injury, you would file a wrongful death claim against the dog owner. This claim seeks money to pay for funeral costs and leftover doctor bills. The guidance and income that’s been lost in the years ahead must also factor into the support offered to the family.
Contact a Bell CA Dog Bite Attorney
California allows dog bite victims up to two years to bring a claim against a dog owner. But victims should act quickly. A lawyer should be notified as soon as possible so an investigation can start, fresh evidence can be collected, and witnesses can be located.
Maison Law of Bell provides free case consultations to people injured by a serious dog bite. Schedule your free case review today. It’s a no-risk way to determine how to hold dog owners responsible for dog bites and how to maximize your compensation from an insurance provider.
If you feel Maison Law can help you earn more for your recovery, you won’t need any upfront money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money that a dog owner’s insurance must provide to you.
