As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people in the United States suffer about 800,000 dog bites every year. About 334,00 of those bites are severe enough to warrant hospital care and treatment. What recourse is available if a dog bites a child in California?
Dog Bites Are Common Childhood Injuries
The CDC relates that dog bites are so common to children that they outnumber cases of measles, mumps, and whooping cough combined. They’re far more common than typical childhood injuries like playground or skateboard injuries.
Where dog bites occur
What every parent should worry about is that more than half of all dog bite victims are children under the age of 12. With about one out of every three families having a dog, it’s no surprise that most dog bites to children occur at home.
The second most likely place is at the home of a friend. The risk of death to a child from a dog attack is more likely than that for teens or adults. Their smaller body size makes it difficult to defend themselves against an attack by even a medium-sized dog.
Contact the California dog bite lawyers at Maison Law for a free consultation if a dog bites your child anywhere in California. Compensation for your injuries and damages may be available to you and your child.
Why Do Dogs Bite Children?
Most dogs are patient with children, but they also have their limits. Children under the age of 7 are more likely to sustain bites if they taunt a dog, startle it, or if the dog senses that a child is going to take its food or toys. Dogs are territorial too. Older children might receive bites if they invade a dog’s territory. Younger children might also want to hug a dog by grabbing its neck. That’s often a reason for bites to a child’s face or neck. That includes the area around the eyes. According to the National Institutes of Health, well over half of all dog bite injuries suffered by children are in the middle third of the face. A child’s willingness to bring his or her face close to that of a dog coupled with an inability to defend against one or more bites may account for this. The extent of the resulting facial damage can vary. Treatment often involves surgical repair.
California is a Strict Liability Dog Bite State
Section 3342 of the California Civil Code makes the state a strict liability dog bite state. Once a dog bites a person, its owner is automatically liable, despite the fact that the dog might be well-trained with no history of biting. Very few defenses to this law exist. That’s why it’s critical to have an attorney who has a keen understanding of controlling dog bite law. At Maison Law, our dog bite lawyers are reputable and accessible throughout the state.
If your child suffered a serious dog bite injury, get him or her to an emergency room immediately to start the appropriate care and treatment. You’ll receive written instructions from the emergency room that you should follow. Then, contact the California dog bite lawyer at Maison Law as soon as you can for a free consultation and case evaluation. You can tell us about how the attack occurred, and we can answer your questions too. After that, we’ll tell you all the legal remedies available to you. If we enter into a retainer agreement, no up-front charges are due. That’s because we handle these types of cases on a contingency fee basis. Our job is to secure the highest settlement or award that you and your child deserve. Contact Maison Law as soon as you can after your child suffers dog bite injuries anywhere in California.
