Maison Law represents runners who have been bitten by dogs or left injured after being chased by dogs. Our runner accident injury lawyers assist victims in getting the support they need to make a full recovery so they can back to their runs. Please contact us after a runner accident involving a serious injury for a free, no-obligation consultation for you and your family. It’s a no-risk opportunity to find out what your case may be worth and how to hold dog owners completely responsible.
Do I Need a Dog Bite Lawyer After Getting Bit While on a Run?
After a bite that results in only superficial scratches or bruising, you may not need a lawyer’s help. But if a dog owner’s negligence leads to a serious dog bite wound while you are jogging, you should speak to a Visalia dog bite injury lawyer about your best options.
When injuries are serious, like a hand fracture or a deep puncture wound, insurance companies covering dog owners will do their best to blame joggers for their bites and downplay the severity of a wound. They do this to save their companies money. Your lawyer battles back against these tactics and makes sure you receive the maximum in compensation possible. Maison Law wants you to heal and get back to the exercise routine you love as soon as possible.
Can I Hold a Dog Owner Responsible If I’m Bitten While on a Run?
Runners are fully empowered to hold dog owners responsible for a dog that causes an injury, especially a bite wound. A dog that isn’t properly restrained can follow its instincts and chase down any moving target such as a person out for a run. It’s a dangerous situation that can arise when dog owners are negligent in their duty to keep others safe from dog bites in neighborhoods, at parks, and almost any location.
When it comes to biting, California is a “strict liability” dog bite state. It means that in most cases, dog owners are held responsible when their pets bite. That’s true even if the dog has no history of biting incidents.
Strict liability dog bite laws make it easier to hold dog owners responsible, but three things about your case must be true to file a case:
- Runners must not have been trespassing.
- Runners must not have provoked the dog.
- Runners must have suffered an actual bite, but a bite that doesn’t break the skin still counts as a bite.
Your dog bite lawyer would be collecting evidence and investigating the dog owner to make sure you had the evidence necessary to seek compensation through an injury claim. Your Maison Law attorney would usually file the injury claim with the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance provider or renter’s insurance provider. In some cases, dog owners might have to pay for your recovery costs out of their own pocket.
Dog Knockdown Injuries for Runners
The legal concept of strict liability is meant to make it easier for dog bite victims to identify who is liable (usually dog owners) so they can proceed with filing an injury claim and securing support. However, strict liability only applies to accidents involving a bite.
But runners are also in danger when dogs chase them down, forcing them to flee and often fall trying to get away. Pedestrians might run into a street sign, or trip over a tree root trying to get away. Joggers could also end up in the road in the path of vehicles to suffer devastating injuries. A bite might not occur, but the injuries can still be severe.
Runners injured in this way can also sue dog owners and seek help with their physical, financial, and emotional hardships while they heal. If a dog bite doesn’t occur, other personal injury laws would apply.
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.
Maison Law can collect evidence that shows the fault of a dog owner and assist you in maximizing your dog attack settlement check.
What Kinds of Damages Can Be Compensated If I’m Bitten by a Dog While on a Run?
Dog bite victims could need money to pay for an expensive night in an emergency room. They might need support to cover weeks or months of surgeries and physical therapy.
Runners in particular may suffer leg wounds and broken bones that take considerably longer to heal from and to restore full function in a damaged limb. They’ll need support that continues until they can return to their normal exercise routine without pain.
But medical bills aren’t the only thing victims should receive compensation for. All of these and other factors would be considered when deciding how much you should receive in a settlement:
- Medical care bills now and any received in the future. Surgeries could be necessary years down the road.
- Physical therapy costs. Rehabilitation may be needed so the victim can learn to control damaged hands, fingers, ankles, and feet again.
- 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.
- Travel costs for getting to appointments with doctors and surgeons. These bills may be substantial if a victim has injuries that prevent driving.
- Reimbursement of lost benefits and income while victims are unable to work.
Contact a Visalia Runner Dog Bite Lawyer
California provides runners who suffer dog bites up to two years to bring a claim against a dog owner. But victims should act quickly. A lawyer should be notified as soon as possible so an investigation can start, fresh evidence can be collected, and witnesses can be located.
Maison Law of Visalia provides free case consultations to all runners and walkers injured by a serious dog bite. Schedule your free case review today. It’s a no-risk way to determine how to hold dog owners responsible for dog bites and how to maximize your compensation from an insurance provider. Our Visalia Dog Bite Attorneys make sure victims have the money they need to pay for the best care available so they can return to their exercise routine as soon as possible.
If you feel Maison Law can help you earn more for your recovery, you won’t need any upfront money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money a dog owner’s insurance must provide to you.
