Livermore residents face a lot of unexpected hazards as they go about their lives. But they may not think that a friendly local dog represents a dangerous threat. Unfortunately, careless dog owners can put their dogs and other people in situations where a dog bite can occur.
Adult, teen, and child dog bite victims need to get the best care available without worrying about the cost of care. A Livermore Dog Bite Lawyer fights unhelpful insurance companies to make sure victims have what they need to recover.
Contact a Livermore Lawyer for a Free Dog Bite Case Consultation
Dog bite victims may be nursing a wound after a painful bite and be unsure about where to turn for recovery support. In California, a dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance can be called upon to provide victims with the help they need in recovery.
Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t make it easy for dog bite victims to earn compensation after a personal injury. You should go into an insurance claim negotiation well-informed of the benefits available to you.
The best way to arm yourself with the knowledge to secure what’s fair is to schedule a free consultation with a Livermore Dog Bite Lawyer. We offer a free case evaluation to victims and their families. It’s a chance to find out what your injury is worth and how to avoid some of the tactics insurance providers use to limit the care you receive.
Who is Liable After a Dog Bite in Livermore?
California follows the legal concept of “strict liability” when it comes to dog bites. It means that dog owners are held responsible for the consequences of a bite. A dog doesn’t have to have a history of biting or of aggressive behavior in order for a dog owner to be held financially responsible.
Dog owners are held accountable as long as victims and their Dog Bite Injury Lawyers can prove a few things were true:
- A bite occurred. A bite counts even if it doesn’t break the skin but still causes damage.
- Victims were on public property or legally on private property. Victims weren’t trespassing.
- Victims didn’t provoke the dog.
As long as these factors are proven, a dog bite victim can expect to win settlement money from a dog owner to help with recovery costs. The pet owner’s homeowners insurance policy or renters insurance policy could be called upon to provide compensation. Dog owners who don’t have these insurance policies could be forced to provide support out of their own pockets.
Dog Bite Common Injuries
You and your family may be taking your own dog to a dog park, like Livermore Canine Park when someone gets bitten. Your child may be in the backyard when a dog that’s been allowed off-leash enters and leaves behind a painful bite.
These bites can be long-lasting and cause permanent nerve damage leading to numbness or constant tingling.
Emergency room doctors at Stanford Healthcare Tri-Valley see these and other serious wounds after a dog attack:
- Punctures Wounds and Cuts: Dog bites can penetrate deep into the skin and do damage as the teeth sink through the layers of muscle and bone. The hands, particularly the right hand are commonly targeted, often when someone is bitten while trying to pet a dog.
- Tissue Damage: A bite may be close to a vital organ. Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissue can’t withstand the pressure of a bite.
- Nerve Damage: Numbness in hands and feet is a symptom of nerve injuries. Sharp pain and a buzzing sensation like an electric shock are also reported. Victims often drop objects they are holding.
- Crushing Injuries: The force of a bite might be enough to crush the bones in hands and ankles. Hands, ankles, and even throats can end up crushed.
- Head and Neck Injuries of Children: Children are the most often bitten by dogs and their heads and neck are usually at the level where dogs can bite them. Extra compensation is needed for child victims because serious injuries can lead to developmental issues as they mature.
- Infections: Dog teeth are covered in bacteria that might cause a wound to become infected. Rabies, Tetanus, are examples of harmful bacteria. Patients may experience fever, fatigue, breathing difficulties, and tremors.
- Emotional Damage: Victims can develop a real fear of dogs after a bite incident. They may experience debilitating anxiety at the thought of going out for a run or visiting a park. PTSD symptoms can be long-lasting after suffering through an attack.
What Can I Receive Compensation for After a Livermore Dog Bite?
The list of injuries above is a scary reminder of how vulnerable our bodies are to bite wounds, especially the bodies of small children.
Victims will require help paying for medical care now and care that’s expected in the months and years to come. Surgery could be necessary to correct the growth of bones and muscles in victims, especially young victims.
To secure the best chance for a full physical and financial recovery, these are a few of the factors that victims must seek compensation for:
- Full coverage of hospital bills and emergency response fees.
- Physical therapy costs to learn to regain the use of affected limbs.
- The estimated costs of living a life with a permanent disability or long-term disfigurement.
- Physical pain the victim has endured.
- Emotional trauma the victim has suffered through, including depression and anxiety during a difficult recovery.
- Loss of enjoyment of life and the inability to participate in family activities and hobbies.
- Travel costs for doctor and specialist visits.
- Income and benefits lost while the victim has missed time at work.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Wrongful death benefits. If the unthinkable happens and you lose a loved one to a dog bite injury, you are encouraged to file a wrongful death claim against the dog owner. This claim seeks money to pay funeral costs and leftover doctor bills. The guidance and income that’s been lost in the years ahead must also factor into the support offered to the family.
Contact a Livermore Dog Bite Lawyer
After you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite, contact a Livermore Dog Bite Lawyer to discuss your case, free of charge. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out about all the benefits available to you and how to hold an insurance company fully responsible.
There’s no obligation, but if you feel we can help you earn a bigger settlement check from an insurance company, you won’t need any upfront money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for your family and then our fee comes out of the dog bite settlement you receive.
Your dog bite lawyer from Maison Law will thoroughly investigate what happened and build a strong case for you. The goal is to leave insurance companies no room to deny your claim and get away with providing you nothing after a dog attack.
