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 Turlock dog bite victims who suffer frightening hand injuries. We make sure they can pay every medical bill and receive support while they can’t go to work. 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 on the Hand?
If your dog bite injuries are serious, such as involving broken fingers or a deep wound, it’s a good idea to bring your case to a skilled Turlock Dog Bite Lawyer to discuss what you should be demanding in compensation. Even a shallow bite wound can do major damage to someone’s hand. Victims may need months of physical therapy just to restore full function to fingers and thumbs.
When insurance adjusters see the enormous medical bills, they’ll seek to blame you for the dog attack or even try to convince you your injury isn’t all that serious. Your lawyer fully investigates your case so the facts can’t be changed and then demands the maximum in benefits for you and your family.
Dog Bite Hand Injury Dangers in Turlock
There are plenty of dog owners out with their pets in Turlock every day of the week. Dogs are great companions, but they can be tempted to bite someone when they aren’t supervised and feel threatened.
You or a family member may be bitten while visiting Donnelly Park. A painful bite might be inflicted in your own yard when a neighbor’s dog runs free.
When dogs bite, their instincts take over and they’ll go for the closest body part, which will often be the hands.
Finger bones, thumb bones, and hand bones easily fracture in the crushing grip of a dog’s jaw. Victims can lose fingers. They might suffer torn tendons and ligaments.
OrthoInfo reports that dog bite victims can suffer nerve damage in their hands and experience a loss of feeling and a loss of movement. A deep wound may miss bones but cause a severe infection and leave permanent scars.
A recovery can mean a quick trip to the Emanuel Medical Center ER, but some victims aren’t so lucky. They may spend time in the hospital after emergency surgery. They may face months of physical therapy. A Maison Law dog bite attorney documents each and every hardship victims face to make sure they earn full support for these damages. Our attorneys also consider the possibility of complications in the years ahead and seek support to cover any injury flare-ups.
Who Is Responsible for My Dog Hand Bite Injury?
California follows the legal concept of “strict liability” in dog bite cases. It means that dog owners are liable after a pet bites someone in most instances. It’s the dog owner’s fault even if the dog has never bitten someone before.
Dog victims could file lawsuits unless one of the following were true:
- The victim was trespassing at the time of the bite.
- 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).
Your dog bite attorney would gather all evidence and collect witness testimony showing that you didn’t provoke the dog that bit you. It’s also easy to show that you weren’t trespassing. You may have been on someone’s property, but as long as you were invited to enter or permission was implied, you could seek compensation from the owner.
What Kind of Compensation Will I Need After a Dog Bite on the Hand?
Your lawyer will be building a strong case for you, while you work to heal and rehabilitate your hand. When your Maison Law attorney is ready to file your claim with the dog owner’s insurance provider, a thorough list of every hardship you’ve endured will be included.
This is a critical step because any damage you’ve suffered that’s left off won’t be eligible for compensation in a dog bite settlement check.
Your lawyer will list a few hardships in your claim you may not have realized could earn additional support on a dog bite injury settlement check:
- Medical care bills now and the estimated cost of care needed in the future.
- Physical therapy costs. Rehabilitation may be needed so the victim can restore the function of a hand or fingers. Money for medical equipment needed.
- Additional support for the future for children who suffer dog bite injuries. Children may receive a bite wound on the hand and seemingly heal. But that same wound can cause issues in the years ahead. As children reach their teen years, their hands grow and may be affected by an old injury. Surgery could be necessary to allow victims to mature properly.
- Full financial support for a permanent physical disability and permanent disfigurement suffered by victims.
- Additional compensation for physical pain and emotional trauma experienced. Dog bite victims can suffer anxiety and PTSD symptoms after a frightening attack. Depression may follow a severe injury that limits the patient’s enjoyment of life.
- Reimbursement of lost benefits and income.
- Travel costs for appointments with doctors and surgeons. These bills may be substantial if a victim has injuries that prevent driving.
Contact a Turlock Dog Bite Attorney
California law allows dog bite victims up to two years from the date of the accident to file an injury claim. You shouldn’t delay when you’ve suffered a serious hand injury. It’s easier for your lawyer to collect evidence to prove the fault of the dog owner in the early going. You also shouldn’t have to wait years to receive justice for what happened.
After you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite injury, contact a Turlock 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.
If you feel we can help you earn more for your injury recovery, you won’t need any upfront money to hire Maison Law. We don’t accept payment unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the award you receive from an insurance company.
