Maison Law represents Madera dog bite victims to make sure they secure everything they need to make a full recovery. Victims who suffer bites at Madera dog parks can ask dog owners for financial support as they heal. Our lawyers work to maximize the compensation that insurance companies must pay out to our clients.
If you or a loved one has been bitten, please contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your case may be worth and how to hold dog owners and their insurance companies fully responsible.
Madera Dog Parks Bite Risks
Dog parks offer a great place to let pups run wild and release some energy. But dog owners are still responsible for a pet’s actions, even inside a fenced-in area. A dog that bites or knocks someone down to cause an injury leaves its owner liable for the medical costs of getting the victim back to normal.
Dog owners can unleash their dogs at dog parks in Madera County, such as the dog park at the Lowe’s Travel Stop. But with dogs running around unattended, people watching their own dogs can end up with painful bites.
It might happen when a dog becomes frightened or confused. It might happen as someone is trying to separate two dogs that are fighting. It might result from aggressive play. A large dog may knock someone down to cause a broken wrist or a dangerous bump to the head.
A dog owner may also release a dog into a park, knowing the dog has bitten someone before or behaved aggressively.
Who Is Responsible For a Bite at a Dog Park?
California law protects those suffering dog bites by allowing them to file injury claims against dog owners. Due to the legal concept of “strict liability,” a legal claim is possible, even when it’s the first time a dog has ever bitten anyone. This legal protection is explained in CA Civ Code 3342a.
Strict liability makes it easier for victims to establish who is responsible after a bite. It’s the dog owner in most cases. A dog’s history doesn’t matter, as in other states, when a dog owner is only liable if the dog has a record of aggressive behavior.
Dog victims could file lawsuits unless one of the following were true:
- The victim was trespassing at the time of the bite. (Most dog parks are public places.)
- The victim provoked the dog into an attack.
- The attack didn’t involve a bite (although a bite that doesn’t break the skin still counts as a bite).
Some dog-involved injuries don’t include a bite wound. A dog may have knocked someone down and caused a fall injury. Strict liability wouldn’t apply in these cases, but other personal injury laws would apply. A lawyer could help the victim gather evidence showing the dog caused a fall and that the owner’s negligence allowed it to happen.
Is the Owner of the Dog Park Liable If I’m Bitten?
Madera and Madera County would usually be protected from litigation if you were bitten at a public park. The operators of private dog parks, like a gas station/rest stop or an apartment complex, might also be exempt from responsibility. Most dog parks will have a “use at your own risk” sign posted.
The dog owner would still be the one to take the blame and legal culpability. However, a dog park owner or operator can be held accountable in certain situations. The protections of a “use at your own risk” sign and policy should only cover reasonable risks that dog park visitors take.
A danger that goes beyond the normal risks could still leave the city liable. A broken fence that allowed dogs to escape an enclosure and bite someone could make the city liable for injuries. If someone with a dog that had been reported as dangerous wasn’t kept out of the dog park, the city might also be liable when injuries occurred.
The same “use at your own risk” protections would probably keep property management companies from being sued if someone were bitten at an apartment complex dog park. But you should take advantage of a free consultation with a real dog bite lawyer if you feel the owners and operators of a dog park put you in harm’s way.
Support for Dog Park Bite Victims in Madera
Victims can end up with broken bones and numbness in their hands. They can suffer a deep puncture wound on the ankle, tearing tendons, ligaments, and muscle. Victims might need surgery to repair the damage. They may need reconstructive surgery to try to erase a scar. Physical therapy is often needed to help victims relearn to use a damaged appendage and strengthen it.
Victims might need years of medical care, but earning the money to pay for it from an unhelpful insurance company is another matter. Dog bite patients often need legal assistance to keep an insurance company from offering money that simply covers a single trip to the emergency room, and not the long, expensive recovery afterwards.
Your lawyer would demand these and other benefits for you and your family.
- Support for hospital and physical therapy expenses for as long as necessary.
- Extended medical support for young 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 while victims are injured.
- Physical pain suffered by the victim.
- Emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety. Victims might have PTSD symptoms after going through an attack at a dog park.
- Loss of enjoyment of life due to an injury.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Wrongful death benefits for families who have lost a loved one to a dog attack.
Contact a Madera Dog Bite Lawyer
After you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite, reach out to a Madera Dog Bite Attorney to discuss your case and your best options, free of charge.
Consult with an attorney as soon as possible after a dog bite. There are benefits available to you and your family that insurance companies won’t be informing you of.
If you decide to hire Maison Law, you won’t need any upfront money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement you are awarded.
