Many California residents are dog owners and dog lovers, but sadly, dangerous encounters with pets can occur. Some biting or attack incidents can involve “pit bulls.” People use the term pit bull to represent a wide variety of dogs, but the bite of some of these animals can cause extensive injuries and trauma to victims.
In California, the owner of a potentially dangerous dog can face criminal charges for allowing an animal to attack. Those owners can also be held liable for every cost of recovery victims face.
Finding Support for an Injury After a Pit Bull Attack
If you or a loved one are the victims of a serious dog bite or attack, don’t trust dog owners and their insurance providers to provide the support you need in recovery. You may need to fight to get what’s fair and having a local, skilled dog bite lawyer on your side provides a huge advantage.
Contact a California Dog Bite Lawyer to find out what you should expect in compensation from insurance providers. Maison Law offers a free consultation to victims and their families after a frightening dog attack. If you choose our law firm to represent your case, we don’t get paid unless we win your claim.
What Types of Dogs Are Considered Pit Bulls?
There is great confusion over what should be considered a pit bull and many people incorrectly use the term.
The term “pit bull” is often used to describe the following types of dogs:
- American pit bull terriers
- Staffordshire terriers
- Staffordshire bull terriers
- Bullmastiffs
- American bulldogs
- A mix of these dogs.
California Laws Regarding Pit Bulls
There are no state laws that specifically name “pit bulls” as a threat, but there are rules in place to hold the owners of potentially dangerous or vicious dogs responsible for their pets.
Dogs like pit bulls, Dobermans, and Rottweilers can be considered “dangerous” if they’ve gone after someone who had to take defensive action. They may also have bitten someone or killed a domestic pet while off the owner’s property.
Certain dogs can be considered “vicious” if they’ve already been deemed dangerous and continue to behave aggressively. They can also be deemed “vicious” if they severely injure or kill someone.
Dog owners with pets that have been deemed “dangerous” or “vicious” must meet certain California requirements:
- Dogs must be licensed and vaccinated.
- Dogs must be kept on the owner’s property indoors or in a fenced yard.
When dog owners fail to control a dog that’s been deemed “dangerous” or “vicious” they can be hit with misdemeanor or felony charges and face up to three years in jail.
Some California cities also have their own ordinances governing the ownership of certain breeds of dogs. Dog owners may also have a hard time getting homeowners insurance from companies that have restrictions on breeds considered dangerous.
Pit Bull Attack Dangers in California
Breeds grouped under the term “pit bulls” have gotten a bad reputation as being dangerous and vicious. In fact, pit bull breeds as a whole aren’t necessarily more prone to bite humans and only a small percentage of these dogs have been responsible for serious harm.
However, the instincts of some dogs can make them more of a threat to children and adults when they bite. Bites sometimes cause severe trauma because some dogs more often go for vital areas on a victim such as the head or neck. Some pit bull breeds can bite harder and deeper than other dog breeds. Some also violently shake their heads once they’ve latched onto a victim.
These actions can lead to severe injuries for victims and easily cause permanent disfigurements and disabilities.
Compensation Available to Pit Bull Attack Victims
California is a strict liability state when it comes to dog bite cases. This means victims can sue a pit bull owner for injury compensation even if the dog had not shown aggressive behavior before or bitten someone previously.
The victim can hold the owner liable as long as the attack happened in a public place or on private property the victim had been invited to enter. The victim can’t have provoked the dog to attack.
Victims can file a claim for damages with the dog owner’s homeowners insurance provider. These are just a few of the factors a victim will receive compensation for:
- Medical expenses.
- Past and future lost wages while the victim misses work.
- All costs associated with a permanent physical disability or disfigurement.
- Emotional anguish, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
- Longterm physical pain.
- Loss of enjoyment of life when having to limit activities due to an injury.
Contact a Dog Bite Accident Lawyer In California
After suffering a serious bite injury from any type of dog, please discuss your options with a legal representative such as Martin Gasparian. Mr. Gasparian has an extensive background making sure victims and their families have everything they need to recover from a frightening attack.
Martin Gasparian offers a free consultation to victims and their families. This consultation is confidential and comes with no obligation. Contact Maison Law so that you don’t miss out on the benefits available to dog bite victims.
