Victims of dog attacks in Fresno are permitted to file a claim for damages against dog owners and seek financial support for physical and financial recovery. California makes it easier for Fresno dog bite victims to secure compensation by allowing lawsuits to be filed even when dogs haven’t shown aggression in the past.
When insurance companies try to blame victims for the bites they receive or refuse to help pay for expensive medical care for victims, Maison Law steps in to help. To find out how much you should be receiving after a dog bite, talk to a real lawyer by reaching out to a skilled Fresno Dog Bite Attorney and scheduling a free consultation.
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Dog Bite Liability Laws in Fresno and California
California follows the concept of “strict liability” when it comes to dog bites. This means dog owners can be held accountable for the consequences of a dog bite even if the dog isn’t considered a dangerous animal. Owners are liable for bite injuries even if their dogs have never bitten anyone or shown aggressive behavior before.
A few things must also be true for a dog bite victim to seek financial support through an insurance claim or a lawsuit:
- The injury must have been caused by a bite. The “strict liability” only covers biting and not other types of injuries involving a dog.
- The victim was bitten in a public place or was lawfully in a private place when bitten. Victims can be on private property as long as they had a reason to be there, such as they were delivering a package or were invited into a yard or home.
- The victim can’t have provoked the attack.
Dog owners are often covered for bite liability by their homeowner’s insurance and by some renter’s insurance policies. The payout limits on a basic coverage plan can be quite low and leave victims paying out-of-pocket for any part of their financial hardships left unpaid.
A Fresno Dog Bite Attorney works to uncover as many liable parties as possible in order to make additional sources of insurance money available to the victims who need it.
Find out more about what to do if you are bitten by a dog in a Fresno Dog Park on our webpage.
Public and Privately Owned Dog Park Attacks
Public dog parks maintained by a city or county government do carry protections for government departments from litigation.
If you are bitten while at a public dog park, you can file a claim against the dog’s owner, but you won’t be able to sue the government in most cases.
This would apply to several public dog parks in Fresno and Clovis such as:
- Basin AH1 Dog Park in Fresno
- Roeding Park Dog Run in Fresno
- Todd Beamer Dog Park in Fresno
- Sierra Bicentennial Park in Clovis
Private dog parks like those provided in apartment complexes aren’t protected against litigation. You could sue the company that maintains a dog park, but you’d have to prove something the operators did caused you to get bitten. Otherwise, you could still file a claim against the dog’s owner.
If you are bitten in a private dog park that requires a membership you probably will be signing a waiver form in order to use the park. This could make suing the group operating the park difficult but not impossible.
You’d have to speak with an experienced Fresno Dog Bite Lawyer to determine if the circumstances of your case and the negligence of the company were extreme enough to override the protections of a waiver form. We have more information about what to do after getting bitten at a Fresno dog park here.
Dog Bites Involving Children in Fresno
Children are especially vulnerable to dog attacks. They often play outside and are attracted to furry friends. They often don’t realize the dangers of approaching an unknown dog.
The consequences of a dog attack on a young body can be that much more devastating. Children’s bodies are still growing and any damage to soft tissue or organs can create development problems in the years to come.
Parents must do everything they can to ensure enough insurance support is secured to provide the best medical care now and when necessary in the future. Permanent disfigurement will also affect a child’s life as they mature. This is another factor that should multiply the amount of compensation families receive from insurance companies.
We have further information on our website about what to do if your child is bitten by a dog in Fresno.
Compensation for Fresno Dog Bite Accident Victims
Dog bite victims of any age often face hand injuries. A bite can sever tendons and cause other soft-tissue damage. Long-lasting effects could include numbness and a lack of control of fingers. This type of injury serves to prevent victims from returning to their jobs for weeks or months at a time.
A correctly prepared dog bite injury claim will request financial support for these hardships and more:
- Medical Care now and any required in the future.
- Physical Disability and Permanent Disfigurement support if necessary.
- Reimbursement of lost income.
- Travel costs for appointments with doctors and surgeons.
- Additional compensation for physical pain and emotional anguish experienced.
Contact a Fresno Dog Bite Accident Lawyer
Consult with an attorney who understands the emotional trauma that comes along with the physical damage caused by a dog bite. Victims need sufficient financial and emotional support in order to recover from such a traumatic experience.
When you contact Maison Law for a free consultation, you’ll talk to a real California Dog Bite Lawyer and you’ll get our full attention. We will help you decide your best options for receiving the support you and your family will require. As a respected Fresno personal injury law firm, we will only take on the case if we think it is in your best interest.
