California’s Civil Code 3342 explains that dog owners are responsible when their dogs bite people, regardless of whether the dog has a former history of viciousness. In California, dog owners are liable for dog bites in almost every situation.
Maison Law represents Tulare dog bite victims who suffer major injuries. We make sure victims, young and old, receive the support they need to rebuild their health and their lives. Victims should 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 a dog owner fully responsible for a hand injury.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Suffering a Dog Bite at a Dog Park?
If a dog bite results in only minor scratches, you might not need the help of your lawyer over such a very minor injury. But when puncture wounds are deeper or broken bones are suffered, a lawyer can be a valuable protection for your case involving a serious injury. An aggressive strategy is essential for child victims who may need monitoring for years to come.
In most cases, you’ll be able to seek compensation from the dog owner’s homeowners or renter’s insurance policy. However, insurance adjusters won’t accept responsibility without a fight. They will try to blame you for what happened or find doctors who will testify that your injuries aren’t as serious as they seem. Your Tulare Dog Bite Lawyer blocks these shady tactics and aggressively seeks the maximum in benefits available for you and your family.
Who Is Responsible After a Dog Bite Incident?
In California, when a dog bites someone, the owner is responsible for any injuries even if the dog hadn’t shown any aggressive tendencies nor bitten anyone before. This is called a strict liability law, and it means that the victim doesn’t have to show that the owner did anything wrong but just that their dog bit the victim, and the victim sustained injuries.
If you are bitten in a public place, like Cypress Park, or at a backyard party, dog owners would be liable for any costs resulting from your medical care and recovery.
However, there are some required conditions that must be present before liability can be determined.
- The victim must have been in a public place or invited to a private place when bitten, and
- The victim must not have provoked the dog into the attack.
A dog attack that doesn’t involve a bite wound, such as a fall caused by a dog, isn’t covered under strict liability. However, these types of incidents can still earn victims compensation. In these cases, the burden of proof for those injuries will be higher. In other words, you’d have to show stronger proof that those non-bite injuries were indeed caused by the dog’s actions and the owner’s negligence.
Your dog bite lawyer can help you every step of the way, no matter how your dog bite occurs. Your attorney fully investigates your case and collects all evidence and witness testimony so that a dog owner’s negligence can’t be denied. This forces a pet owner’s homeowners insurance provider to accept responsibility and provide a fair dog bite settlement amount.
What Kinds of Things Can I Be Compensated for After a Dog Bite?
Dog bites almost always leave some type of physical scar. They also leave behind emotional scars that can last a lifetime. Children in particular may deal with panic attacks when encountering a dog for the rest of their lives.
A negligent dog owner’s insurance provider must be held accountable for financial, physical, and emotional hardships.
Your Maison Law attorney would be documenting each damage you and your loved ones had suffered in the aftermath of a dog attack.
Your lawyer would demand compensation on a settlement check with additional support for some things you may not have known could earn additional compensation:
- All Medical Bills
- Permanent disability
- Permanent Disfigurement
- Rehabilitation
- Support for the pain endured
- Loss of quality of life
- Loss of Consortium (physical intimacy)
- Mental anguish, including PTSD
- Lost time from work
- Travel costs while attending appointments
Contact a Tulare Dog Bite Lawyer
After you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite, contact a Tulare 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.
