If a dog chases you down and delivers a painful bite while you are riding a bike in Chico, an insurance claim can be filed against the dog’s owner. The insurer could be held liable for all medical bills, repair costs, and the income you lose while unable to work.
California holds dog owners liable for dog bites and other dog-caused accidents in most cases. Unfortunately, insurance companies representing at-fault dog owners often work to limit the support you receive. Injured riders often need a lawyer’s help to secure support for 100% of their medical bills and for the care they may need in the future. You can speak to a skilled Chico Dog Bite Lawyer in a free case consultation. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your injury should really be worth and how to hold an insurer fully liable.
Dog Bite Hazards for Chico Cyclists
Bicyclists in Butte County deserve safe rides. Riders may watch for careless drivers, but they may forget that dogs on the loose also present a major risk to their safety.
A dog may be able to chase down a cyclist for several reasons. Dog owners may recklessly allow their dogs to roam a neighborhood without restraint. Homeowners may provide a less-than-secure enclosure that a dog can escape from. A dog on a walk may be given enough leash to reach a passing cyclist.
Dogs can target the feet, ankles, and legs as they give chase to a cyclist. A bite can cause deep wounds, infections, and even bone fractures. Injured cyclists can be forced to give up their bike rides they love for weeks, months, or even years.
Can I Sue a Dog Owner After Getting Bitten by a Dog While on a Bike Ride?
Yes, in most cases. California is a “strict liability” state when it comes to dog bites. That means, in most instances, it’s easy to determine who is responsible for a dog bite.
The dog owner is almost always held accountable. In California, there’s no “one bite rule” that protects owners from financial liability for the first bite incident a dog has. Dog owners are held responsible, even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. Some states let dog owners off the hook for the first bite. Only dogs with a history bring liability to their owners.
Dog owners would be liable unless…
- The victim provoked the dog
- The victim was trespassing at the time of the bite
These factors would often allow a dog owner to escape blame. Dog bite victims would be responsible for paying their own hospital bills.
What If a Dog Caused Me to Crash?
Strict liability in dog bite cases only applies to incidents that involve a real bite. It can’t be used to force a pet owner to accept responsibility for recovery costs. But cyclists can also be hurt by the actions of a dog, without a bite involved.
Dog owners can still be held liable, but a different set of personal injury laws will apply. In most cases, more evidence would be needed to prove that the dog owner and the dog’s actions caused a crash.
And there are plenty of these types of accidents each year. A dog chasing a cyclist can easily cause the rider to topple to the road surface. Riders may also be injured when swerving into traffic to escape a loose dog. A frightened rider might also collide with a tree or a curb. The injuries could end up being much more serious than even a bite wound.
Victims in these cases can still sue a dog owner and seek compensation. However, the burden of proof will be higher. It’s a good idea to have a Chico bicycle accident lawyer handle your case and fully investigate what happened. The evidence collected could force an insurer to accept responsibility and provide compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of things are compensated after a bicycle dog bite accident?
Victims should demand help with all medical bills and their lost income while they can’t work. A settlement check should be enough to cover any physical therapy victims could need in the months ahead to relearn to use damaged limbs and to get them back on their bikes again. Their physical pain and emotional trauma must also factor into a settlement check.
Why do children need more in a dog bite settlement?
Sadly, young people are often the victims of dog bites and bicycle accidents. The injuries that children walk away with don’t always heal and disappear forever. Children are still developing, and a broken bone from a past injury can suddenly give them issues as they grow into adulthood. A past brain injury might give them cognitive issues again, later in the maturation process. Children could need financial support for care now and money to pay for medical monitoring in the future, perhaps even surgeries. It’s up to a skilled Maison Law Chico Child Injury Lawyer to ensure that a settlement check includes enough to cover these potential setbacks.
How long do I have to file a bicycle dog bite injury claim?
Two years. You’ll have to file your injury claim before two years have passed since the accident date or risk having your case rejected. You should take action sooner rather than later, before important evidence disappears.
Contact a Lawyer Serving Butte County Dog Bite Victims
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury after a dog attack while riding a bicycle, discuss your case with a skilled Chico Bicycle Accident Attorney as soon as possible. Dog bite victims should never be left to face the costs of recovery alone.
Reach out to Maison Law to make sure you are clear on the rights you have as a victim and the benefits that are available to you and your family.
There’s no obligation for this meeting. If you do feel we can help you earn more for your injury, 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 check that an insurance company provides.
