Delivery drivers bitten by a dog in Fresno can usually expect recovery help from the dog owner. Victims might also be able to receive Worker’s Comp benefits and perhaps sue Uber Eats under certain circumstances.
Dog Bite Dangers for Fresno Uber Delivery Drivers
Uber Eats delivery drivers are always on the go. An order may send drivers walking through front yards to front doors in Fresno neighborhoods like Woodward or Van Ness Estates. They’ll be focused on keeping hungry families happy by rushing and may not notice the potential of an injury from a pet.
- Dog at Large: The easiest way for a dog to bite is to grant the pet full freedom. Some dog owners allow their pets off-leash and unsupervised in their communities. This can lead to a frightening confrontation for a delivery driver, especially if a bag of hot food is involved.
- Dog Bolting Out a Front Door: A dog may also come charging out of a front door if a dog owner opens up without first checking where the dog is in the house. An Uber delivery employee may come away with a painful bite on the hand or on the ankle.
- Dog Escaping an Enclosure or Crate: A dog owner must make sure a dog is securely locked away. That may be in a fenced yard or in a crate. But the owner is responsible for making sure these enclosures aren’t easily escaped. A motivated dog can hop a fence or go under it to bite a delivery person.
- Dog With Too Much Leash: This threat might be anywhere along an Uber Eats driver’s journey. A dog may be able to reach workers as they enter a restaurant or are walking down a sidewalk to an address. The dog owner is negligent for not shortening the leash to a safe distance and preventing a bite.
Who Is Liable If I’m Bitten While Delivering for Uber Eats?
Generally, the dog owner is held liable for a bite that occurs in the state of California. However, there may be other sources of support for injured delivery drivers.
The Dog Owner – In California, dog bite victims can almost always hold a dog owner liable. Under the state’s “strict liability” for owners, the person responsible for the pet is liable for any bite as long as the victim wasn’t trespassing at the time or provoking the dog. An Uber Eats worker would usually be thought to have implied permission to enter someone’s property to deliver an order. After all, the customer placed the order and had to know a delivery person would come. The driver seeks full recovery support from the dog owner’s homeowners insurance or renters insurance policy. The dog owner is generally responsible, even if the dog has never attacked before.
Workers’ Compensation – In California, delivery drivers are often granted rights to Workers’ Comp support. This is true even when a corporation like Uber considers its employees contract workers. This can be a great benefit, but not every injured worker gets the same level of support. The California Division of Workers’ Compensation’s (DWC) administrators can make it difficult for injured victims to get full support. A Fresno Workers’ Comp Attorney can represent dog bite victims and fight to secure more support for longer.
Uber Eats — As stated, Uber considers its delivery drivers as contract workers. This allows them to get away with liability for accidents in many cases. But if Uber Eats can be shown to be grossly negligent in the safety of its delivery staff, it might be found responsible. A skilled lawyer might investigate whether other delivery drivers had reported danger at the address where you were bitten. If you had reported issues at the residence and you were forced to go back, only to be attacked, Uber Eats may have to help you as you recover. Maison Law would also be ready to take action if Uber Eats tried to fire you or punish you for getting hurt while on the job.
It’ll be up to your Fresno dog bite attorney to determine what parties owe you support while you focus on healing. In some cases, more than one at-fault individual or business could have to contribute to your recovery costs.
What If I’m Knocked Down and Injured by a Dog While Delivering Food?
A dog happy to see food arrive could accidentally jump up and knock a delivery driver over or off a porch. A serious injury might result.
The dog owner can be held responsible for this type of accident, too. The only difference is, strict liability couldn’t be relied upon. The dog owner isn’t automatically found at fault. The victim would need to show more evidence in a case like this.
Victims would need to show stronger proof that the dog owner’s negligence led to the dog being free to knock someone down. Evidence would also need to show that the dog’s behavior definitely caused the fall.
This wouldn’t be a problem for an experienced Fresno dog bite lawyer. Victims could count on a skilled lawyer to gather the evidence needed to show a dog owner’s carelessness.
Finding Support for Uber Eats Dog Bite Victims
No matter who was found to be at fault, Maison Law would put the priority on winning every cent of support the victim needed. This money should cover the best care available and allow the driver to get back on the job as soon as possible.
Your lawyer would demand compensation for all of your medical costs and for a few things you may not have known could increase the size of your settlement check:
- Support for hospital and physical therapy expenses for as long as necessary.
- Extended medical support for child victims. A dog bite injury can cause issues as a child matures and grows into adulthood. Development problems might require surgery during teen growth.
- Past and future lost earnings.
- Physical pain suffered by the victim.
- Emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety, that could understandably develop during a long, difficult recovery. Victims might have PTSD symptoms after going through a dog bite incident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life due to an injury.
- Damage or destruction of property.
The medical costs might never end when a dog bite wound causes a permanent disability or disfigurement. Additional financial support would be sought as estimates for a lifetime of care are calculated. This would incorporate the costs of medical equipment and home renovations for patients over the years.
The victim’s return to a previous delivery career may be impossible with a disability. Career training may be included in an insurance settlement so victims can change to a job more suitable for their disability. Without the chance to change jobs, the victim may be due a lifetime of financial support with enough to support close family members.
Contact a Fresno Uber Eats Dog Bite Lawyer Today
We offer a free and confidential case review to all Uber Eats employees in Fresno County suffering a dog bite while on a delivery. If your injuries are serious, please contact us today to schedule an appointment. It’s a no-risk way to determine what your case is worth and how to hold a dog owner and others fully liable.
And if you do need Maison Law’s help to secure more in support, remember that you don’t need to worry about having the money to hire a lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your dog bite case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company must provide.
