Delivery drivers bitten by dogs in Glendale can usually expect recovery help from the dog owner. California holds dog owners financially responsible for most bites. Victims might also be able to receive Worker’s Comp benefits and perhaps sue Uber Eats under certain circumstances.
Can I Sue Uber Eats If I’m Bitten by a Dog on a Delivery?
Delivery drivers could sue their employer if they are hurt on an Uber Eats Delivery. Success would usually be more difficult because Uber considers its employees contract workers, giving them fewer rights when filing claims.
It’s usually much easier to win support from the dog owner, due to California’s “strict liability” dog bite laws. This legal concept means that dog owners are almost always responsible for their dogs when they bite. The circumstances generally don’t matter. In California, the history of the dog usually isn’t considered. A dog owner is liable, even if the dog has never acted aggressively before.
The dog owner would be responsible in all but a few circumstances. The victim can’t have been trespassing on private property without permission at the time of the bite. (Delivery drivers would usually have assumed permission to enter a yard or front porch if the owner scheduled a delivery)
The victim can’t have provoked the dog. Otherwise, the dog owner is accountable.
Filing an Injury Claim Against the Dog Owner: Dog bite victims would usually file a claim against the dog owner’s homeowners insurance or renters insurance. In cases where a dog owner had no insurance, a lawsuit could be filed directly against the owner.
Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim: In California, Uber Eats drivers are usually eligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits. Victims get financial support to help them pay for healthcare and to support themselves and their families while they must miss work. Unfortunately, not every worker is awarded the same level of care from California’s Division of Workers’ Comp. Having a lawyer represent your claim can help you earn more for recovery and earn support for longer. A Glendale Workers’ Compensation Lawyer can represent you before Workers’ Comp Judges and administrators so they get the full story about your injury and what you face in the recovery ahead.
Filing an Injury Claim Against Uber Eats:
It seems like an obvious source of support while you are injured. Asking your employer who makes its profits off of your hard work to help you while you are dealing with a painful bite. Unfortunately, Uber Eats would usually hide behind your employment agreement to avoid most injury claims. But Maison Law has experience in taking on massive corporations and fighting for employees. Uber Eats might be held liable if it were negligent in keeping its workers safe. If the employer has complaints about a certain address and knew about a dog threat, it could face liability if it took no action. You may have reported a certain dog owner for putting you in a risky situation previously. If Uber Eats made you return, the transportation giant could be financially accountable.
Dog Bite Dangers for Uber Eats Drivers
A job that entails walking up to Glendale residents’ front doors will always carry with it the threat of dog attacks. Dog owners are required to keep their dogs on leashes and restrained from getting close enough to someone to allow a bite incident.
They can get negligent in their duties to keep others safe. They might get careless, even when they know that someone will be entering their front porch to deliver a bag of fast food.
These are just some of the dog bite hazards Uber Eats drivers face.
- Dogs carelessly allowed to roam a community at large, such as in neighborhoods like College Hills and El Miradero.
- Dogs rushing out of open front doors as a delivery driver approaches.
- Dogs allowed too much leash and able to get close enough to an Uber Eats worker to bite.
- Dogs escaping a fence or enclosure.
This lack of attention from dog owners can have devastating results. A dog might crush the bones in an employee’s hand, making it impossible for them to hold a steering wheel and carry large orders. A dog might clamp down on an ankle or knee, making it difficult for an Uber Eats driver to even get out of a vehicle.
A dog bite can affect the delivery person’s health and financial livelihood. It’s why victims should hold every party possible responsible and be able to focus on healing instead of financial worries.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What if I’m knocked down by a dog and hurt, but I’m not bitten?
Uber Eats victims hurt by a fall caused by an excited or threatening dog can sue a dog owner for compensation. However, without a bite involved, they can’t use strict liability to prove that a dog owner was liable. Victims would need to present more evidence of the dog owner’s negligence in causing the accident. A skilled Glendale dog bite lawyer could help collect evidence showing that a dog’s actions caused an injury and that the dog owner’s failure to act allowed the dog to get close. In other words, a knockdown case is treated as a normal personal injury case.
What sort of support can I expect after a dog bite?
The medical bills Uber Eats drivers have now and any anticipated in the months ahead must all be covered in a settlement check. The paychecks and tips they forfeit while they can’t make it to work should be fully reimbursed. The emotional and physical pain experienced in the fall and during a long recovery can also earn additional support. Your lawyer would factor in several other hardships to increase the value of your claim.
What if I can’t afford to pay a dog bite lawyer?
And at such a difficult time, you don’t need to worry about finding the money to hire strong legal representation. Maison Law works on a contingency basis for dog bite victims. It means we don’t get paid unless we win the case for you and your family. Then our fee is paid out of the money a car insurance company is forced to provide.
Contact a Glendale Uber Eats Dog Bite Lawyer Today
We offer a free and confidential case review to all Uber Eats employees in Glendale who have suffered 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.
