The legal team at Maison Law is ready to represent dog bite injury victims in Lathrop. If you, a loved one, or close friend has recently suffered injuries due to a dog bite incident, reach out to Maison Law at your earliest opportunity. Our Lathrop dog bite lawyers are here to provide a no-obligation case evaluation and free consultation to help you understand the legal requirements for dog owners in California and how the legal system can help protect you after a dog bite incident.
Do I Need a Lathrop Dog Bite Lawyer
First, all personal injury victims need to understand that they are not legally required to hire a lawyer to represent them if they wish to pursue a lawsuit. The legal system allows victims to move forward with a lawsuit that they are preparing and filing on their own. However, there is no special compensation or forgiveness in the process requirements. You must complete all the legal documents and filing in the same manner as any legal professional who is pursuing a lawsuit on behalf of their client.
Now the question becomes a bit different. First, you need to decide if you are even willing to take legal action related to the dog bite in Lathrop. The severity of the injuries you sustained and the losses incurred is a good place to begin your evaluation. If the injuries and losses are minimal, working with the dog owner or their insurance company is the most expedient manner to resolve the issue. But if the owner or their insurance company representative becomes adversarial, know that the legal team at Maison Law is just a phone call away to offer help.
Should you have suffered severe injuries due to the dog bite or attack incident, securing legal services is often the best choice. Once you interview and hire your Maison Law dog bite lawyer, you will be free to focus your time and energy on healing, rehabilitation, and getting back to the enjoyable life you had before this upsetting, painful, and costly incident. Our staff will handle the legal matter while you focus on the crucial job of regaining your health and happiness.
Request a Free Consultation Today
Victims of a Lathrop dog bite often have many questions, from dog owner responsibilities to getting help covering mounting medical expenses. At Maison Law, we are here to help put your mind at ease and show you that there is a path forward that will allow you to overcome all the issues created when you got bitten by a dog in Lathrop. All you need to know is that the consultation and case evaluation are always free and there is never any obligation to pursue legal action or hire Maison Law. We want to be certain that you understand your rights and how to protect yourself from future monetary issues as a result of a Lathrop dog bite incident and injuries.
Common Dog Bite Incidents in Lathrop
You can encounter dogs in many public and private settings in Lathrop. In some settings, you see only a dog that is inside a fenced yard or on a lead or chain in a yard. In other encounters, the owner or another person is accompanying the dog. They could be walking on the sidewalk or a street, in a parking lot, or a park. But the highest concentration of dog encounters in Lathrop is certain to be at one of the dog parks in the community that include:
- Lathrop Dog Park
- River Islands Dog Park
At these locations, you can find many pets and their owners enjoying the open space and interacting with other dogs and owners. While you hope all of the dogs are well-mannered, that might not be the case. But in all cases, there should be a responsible adult to ensure the safety of others should their dog misbehave.
Other parts of the city where you are likely to see dogs that could result in a bite incident are:
- Apartment complexes
- Housing developments and neighborhoods
- Local walking trails or parks
- Public shopping malls
- Business or office parks
- City sidewalks
It is also critical to understand that in any of these spaces, or anywhere in Lathrop, you could encounter a dog running loose and not under anyone’s physical control. These are often the situations that result in a dog bite incident that involves what is commonly called a stray or loose dog. But if the dog is a pet, the owner still has a responsibility to many dog bite victims.
What is the Liability for Dog Owners in Lathrop
All dog owners in California should know that it is considered a strict liability state. That means the owner of a dog is almost always responsible for the actions of their dog and any harm or damage they cause. The owner is required to maintain control of the dog at all times, including when they are contained in a fenced area or in public on a leash.
The only time a dog owner will not be liable for injuries caused by a dog bite is when:
- The dog bite victim was unlawfully on the property, for example, trespassing or a burglar
- The victim was provoking the dog
- The victim was inflicting pain on the dog
In essence, in Lathrop, a dog owner is typically responsible for the actions of their pet at all times other than in the case of the minimal exceptions previously mentioned. If you suffered a dog bite in Lathrop and are unsure how to move forward to resolve your expenses and losses, reach out to the Maison Law Lathrop dog bite lawyers for a free case evaluation and consultation.
Calculating the Value of a Lathrop Dog Bite Case
The value of most dog bite lawsuits in Lathrop and across the country revolves around the severity of the injuries sustained by the victim and the cost of their medical care. However, it is vital for victims to fully understand the case valuation process to ensure they seek full compensation for all of their losses and expenses created by the dog bite incident.
The economic damages that are included in the valuation process include items that have a clear and concise dollar value, such as:
- All current medical expenses related to the dog bite injuries and projected future medical care required by those injuries
- Your lost wages if the injuries sustained will prevent you from working at your regular job until you have fully healed and recovered
- The cost of any therapy or counseling to address the emotional trauma of the dog bite incident
- Decreased earning capacity if the dog bite injuries leave you disabled or with limitations that will negatively impact your future earning capability or career path
The non-economic damages you face can be a bit more obscure and will need to have a dollar value assigned to them. These losses can include the facets of your life that have been altered or diminished due to the dog bite injuries, and include:
- Impact of pain and suffering
- Your loss of enjoyment of certain aspects of your life such as participating in sports or enjoying a walk around the park
- Inability to take part in hobby activities
- Lack of ability to participate in the lives of loved ones as you did before the dog bite incident
- Emotional issues like PTSD, anxiety, stress, depression, or lack of ability to sleep
- Scarring or disfigurement from the wounds
Statute of Limitations for Dog Bite Cases
The time limit for a dog bite victim to pursue legal action in California is within two years of the injury incident. Once that time limit has passed, in most cases, the victim will no longer have the right to seek compensation for their losses and expenses via a personal injury lawsuit. This time limit is not open to negotiation, and once it has expired, there are very limited exceptions that would grant the victim added time to file a lawsuit with the court.
Keep in mind that this time limit will decrease significantly if the dog owner was a government entity or agency. In these cases, the victim has only six months from the date of their dog bite injuries to file a lawsuit with the court. If you were bitten by a K9 dog working for any law enforcement agency, know that you have minimal time to prepare and file that claim with the court or lose the right ever to seek compensation for damages caused by the dog bite incident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Bite Injuries
How serious is a dog bite injury?
Most people assume that any dog bite that does not inflict massive damage to the skin and tissue of the victim is a minor incident. And while the physical damage to the victim could appear very minimal, any time the skin is broken by a dog’s teeth and saliva enters the wound, there is a significant potential for a severe infection. Seek immediate medical care and an evaluation of any dog bite that breaks the skin. The cleaning of the wound and documentation of the harm could be vital if you need to move forward with a Lathrop dog bite lawsuit due to future complications from the injuries.
What are the indications of an infection from a dog bite?
Infection from a dog bite is very common and can be treated with antibiotics. Further complications can occur if treatment is not begun swiftly. Seek medical care at the first indications of an infection, which include:
- Redness, swelling, or warmth at the site of the bite wound
- Increased pain at or near the wound
- Puss or drainage from the wound
If the dog is healthy, should I still worry about an infection and complications from the dog bite?
All dogs have bacteria in their saliva that is harmful to humans. Even healthy dogs that have all vaccinations and shots up to date can pass along the bacteria that will cause cellulitis in humans. This is a bacterial infection that will harm the skin and underlying tissue and can become life-threatening if not properly treated with medication.
Contact A Dog Bite Lawyer in Lathrop
After getting bitten by a dog in Lathrop, it is always best to explore your options and receive guidance from a legal professional to understand your rights. Reach out to the team at Maison Law for a free, no-obligation case evaluation and consultation to ensure you know who to move forward with if what you thought was a minor incident becomes more serious or life-altering.
If you decide that a Lathrop dog bite lawsuit is the best solution, our team will handle the case and never require any upfront payments or legal fees. Instead, we only get paid after the matter is resolved, and you have received the settlement or compensation, including funds to pay your legal expenses. Allow our dog bite lawyers to eliminate the stress and worry of medical bills, lost wages, and other concerns while you focus on healing.
