Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyers
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Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers In Los Angeles Who Help Injured Victims Take Informed Legal Action
Dogs have long been known as man’s best friend. However, many dogs attack California residents every year. Dog bites often cause serious bodily injuries. Every case features different facts, but generally, victims of dog bites may file lawsuits to seek compensation from the owner of the animal or the property where the incident occurred.
Contact us if you have suffered injuries during such an accident. The Los Angeles dog bite lawyers at our law firm have decades of cumulative experience representing and helping injury victims throughout California. Call (888) 488-1391 to learn more about the services we offer.
If you suffered injuries during a dog bite accident, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Dog bites might cause serious infections and fatalities if the animal has a communicable disease.
Speak with our Los Angeles dog bite lawyers if you or a loved one suffered injuries due to a dog bite accident. A skilled attorney with experience handling these cases can assess whether you can pursue financial compensation for your injuries.
dog bite injury
$2,305,000.00
largest animal attack settlement in 2020 for California; client suffered Traumatic Brain Injury.– Judd Ross Allen
Statistics And Dog Bite Injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year, with nearly 885,000 cases needing medical attention. Many dog bite cases cause serious bodily injuries. These incidents are so significant that a considerable number of reconstructive surgeries happen yearly as a result.
Important facts include:
- Dog bite cases have risen over the last ten years in California. Individual patients visited emergency rooms for dog bites over 35,000 times in 2010. In 2015, the number of emergency room visits related to dog bite injuries rose to 38,000.
- Medical treatment for dog bites can be expensive. In 2017, dog owners were liable for approximately 680,000,000 dollars in dog bite injury costs.
- Children are more vulnerable than adults when it comes to dog bite injuries. Nearly half of all children younger than 12 years of age suffered at least one dog bite.
- Seventy-nine percent of all dog attacks affect children. More than 65 percent of all dog bite attacks affecting children occur on a child’s neck or head.
- United States Postal Service employees are also vulnerable to dog bite attacks. Dog bite attacks affected approximately 6,500 postal workers in 2016. The number of dog bite attacks affecting postal workers rose by 200 from 2015 to 2016. In California, the city of Los Angeles was home to 80 dog bite cases involving postal workers, the most of any city in the state.
- Nearly 4,500,000 dog bite cases happen every year in the United States. Approximately one out of five dog bites causes infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
- In a 13-year period, 54 cases concerned a pet dog causing fatal injuries to an owner.
- A little over 28,000 people had to undergo reconstructive surgical procedures due to their dog bite injuries.
- From 2005 to 2014, Rottweilers and pit bulls caused 75 percent of all deadly dog attacks. During these 10 years, Rottweilers caused 38 deaths, and pit bulls caused 203 deaths.
- Children 13 years of age and under made up approximately half of all dog attack fatalities in 2014. Nearly 73 percent of all adults killed by dog attacks in 2014 were fifty years of age or older.
- Dog bite fatalities rose by 82 percent from 1980 to 2012.
- Women suffer more injuries from dog bite attacks than men.
- More than half of all fatal dog attacks in the year 2014 featured more than one dog. Packs of dogs caused eight dog bite fatalities in 2014.
- A fourth of all fatal dog attacks in the year 2014 gave rise to criminal charges.
- Approximately $489 million of homeowner insurance claims paid during the year 2012 were related to dog bite cases.
Which Dog Breeds Are The Most Dangerous?
Pit bulls and Rottweilers are often involved in fatal dog attacks in the United States, with studies showing they account for a significant percentage of serious bite incidents. If you or someone you know owns any of these pets in California, remember that the state’s dog bite laws hold owners accountable for injuries regardless of the dog’s breed. If you’re injured in an attack, our lawyers can help you understand your rights.
The Mastiff breed is also responsible for many dog attack fatalities every year. Many of the most dangerous dog bite injuries and deaths can be traced back to these dog breeds. Contact us if you have suffered injuries during a dog bite attack. Our dog bite lawyers have decades of experience representing clients pursuing compensation after these incidents.
Are Dog Bites More Likely To Occur At Specific Times?
Studies indicate that most dog bite incidents happen in familiar settings, with the majority occurring within the victim’s property or home. Typically, the dog belonging to the homeowner bites a family member or the homeowner.
Dogs that feel afraid, threatened, or stressed may react by attacking or biting a person. Some dog attacks occur when someone pets a dog and the person’s hand startles the dog. Infants and toddlers are particularly at risk of being bitten, as they’re more likely to make sudden movements near dogs.
Oftentimes, dogs may bite strangers in public if they feel threatened or cornered. Dogs may approach people who are walking, running, or riding bicycles. Attacks may be unpredictable and unprovoked. Any unleashed dog is capable of attacking a person. Some dogs that attack strangers may be strays, abandoned, or lost.
Physical Injuries Caused By Dog Attacks
Dog attacks may produce serious wounds that cause tendon and tissue damage. A dog’s bite force will often determine the extent of a victim’s injuries, with some of the most common ones including fractured bones, extensive pain, and a drop in blood pressure. Big dogs may push a person down and cause spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries.
Dog bites can also spread disease to the human body. The saliva inside a dog’s mouth may contain bacteria and infectious diseases. Some of these include rabies, tetanus, MRSA, Pasteurella, and Capnocytophaga. Rabies is often transmitted when a stray dog or an unfamiliar dog bites a person. Rabid dogs usually display specific behavior, such as unprovoked aggression, disorientation, or a foaming mouth. All rabid dogs are dangerous and can cause serious bodily injuries and infections.
Dog Attacks And Their Impact On Victims
All dog attacks are dangerous and may cause serious bodily injuries. Tendon injuries, soft tissue damage, and bone fractures can all occur after a dog bite from any breed or size. Dog bite injuries can cause a victim to lose the ability to work and enjoy their favorite hobbies. Although dog bite attacks do not often cause fatalities, diseases transmitted by infected dogs can cause death in humans.
Psychological suffering and emotional trauma are also often caused by dog bite attacks. Dog bite victims may lose their trust in other dogs and other animals. The psychological problems caused by dog bite attacks can affect victims for years.
Dog Bites And Common Injuries
If you suffered injuries during a dog bite attack, you need to understand every aspect of your injuries before accepting a settlement offer. Some surgical operations may require you to undergo months of treatment.
Dog attacks can cause bodily disfigurement. In these cases, reconstructive surgery may be the only option for dog bite victims. Rehabilitation, physical therapy, and extensive medical care might also be required after dog attacks.
Dog bites cause physical injuries, but victims often suffer from emotional trauma and psychological pain. Bodily disfigurement can affect the remainder of a person’s life. Psychological pain can damage a person’s connection to all other domestic animals. Every consequence of the dog attack must be considered when seeking compensation.
Additional details concerning dog bite injuries include the following:
- A portion of dog bite injury patients suffer bone fractures and blood poisoning.
- Dog bite injuries to the head, neck, and torso happen in a minority of cases, with most injuries affecting the extremities.
- Injuries to the arms and legs are common, with studies showing these areas are frequently affected in bite incidents.
- Many hospitalized dog bite victims require treatment for wound complications and infections.
- Dog bite attacks can cause serious bodily injuries that require medical attention.
Some individuals may antagonize and provoke dogs into attacking them. Dogs near children may respond violently when intentionally provoked. Some children may tease a dog, causing it to react violently. Dogs may also attack people who walk onto private property. The dog may consider the area its territory and attack any unfamiliar person who enters the area.
Domesticated dogs may exhibit behavior that causes violent reactions. Dogs may bark to prevent an individual from invading their territory or chase invaders and attempt to attack them. Owners who do not restrict a dog’s movement may fail to prevent attacks that cause serious bodily injury and death.
Largest motorcycle settlement in Tulare County in 2021; client suffered spinal and wrist injuries.– Judd Ross Allen
What Should Dog Bite Victims Do After An Attack?
Obtain Medical Attention Immediately
The first thing a dog bite victim should do after a dog attack is to call 911 and ask for medical treatment. Applying pressure to bleeding wounds can help reduce blood loss. Also, washing any wound with soap and water will help reduce the risk of infection. Doctors need to know about every injury sustained during the dog attack. Accurate documentation of your injuries is essential for receiving the appropriate medical treatment.
Documenting The Dog Attack
Identifying the dog that attacked a victim is an important step to take after an attack. Also, it is important to get any information you can from the dog’s owner. Homeowner’s insurance policies cover dog bite attacks that occur in homes. You should obtain the owner’s name, insurance carrier information, and the owner’s contact details. If you can get photographs of the dog attack, these can help your personal injury case.
Contact Animal Services And Law Enforcement Agencies
Contact law enforcement officers. You can ask them to come to the accident scene and make a police report about the dog bite incident. This report will record the dog attack and contain important information about the dog’s owner. Some dog owners may not provide you with their contact information. Police reports will include the dog owner’s contact details.
It is also important to contact Los Angeles County Animal Control so their representatives can file an incident report. Animal services may also perform administrative actions to protect other people. Some of these actions may include taking custody of a dangerous dog to prevent further attacks.
The Liability Of Dog Owners Under California Law
Dog owners can be liable under California law if a dog attack causes the victim’s injury and the bite happened in a public place or lawfully in a private place. In many dog bite cases, California law holds the owner responsible for damages, even without the victim proving the owner’s negligence. It does not make a difference if a dog has violent propensities or whether the owner knew that the dog had a pattern of dangerous behavior.
If the injury happened due to a dog bite, and you were in a place you were legally allowed to be, contact a dog bite lawyer at our firm to schedule a free initial consultation. We can discuss the facts of your case and any relevant theories of liability. If you were injured during a dog attack but suffered injuries due to scratching and jumping, you can also find out if you can bring a negligence claim against the owner of the dog.
California law may apply to this type of injury differently. Los Angeles dog bite lawyers understand how complex the law can be regarding strict liability and dog bites. We can help explain these nuances to you so you can better understand your options.
We can also help you file a claim on time, as a statute of limitations applies to personal injury lawsuits in California. Under state law, all personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury, though we can discuss exceptions to this rule that may apply to your case.
The dog bite statutes in California tend to benefit the victim rather than the dog owner. A dog that touches a person but doesn’t puncture the skin can still be regarded as a bite. Also, victims may be able to pursue financial compensation under California’s dog bite statutes when a dog pushes a person over or injures them, even without biting.
Negligent Dog Owners
Some dog attack victims may have to establish that a dog owner was negligent. Some examples of negligence include a canine biting the wheel of a bicycle and injuring the rider. Another example involves a dog sprinting in front of a moving automobile and causing a motor vehicle accident.
Injured victims must prove that the dog owner was negligent to pursue compensation in these types of cases. One example of negligence is when a dog owner does not have a dog on a leash.
Rabies And Dog Bites
Wounds and physical injuries may not be the only problems caused by a dog bite injury. The bloodstream and brain can receive rabies from a dog’s saliva. The first signs of a rabies infection may be neurological. These symptoms may not become apparent until months after the individual was infected. If rabies infects the brain, it may be too late to administer medical treatment.
When you receive any dog bite, no matter how minor it seems to you, you should immediately wash the bite area for five minutes using soap and water. Also, consult a medical doctor in case you need further medical treatment to prevent permanent health problems. If you do, it will likely involve anti-rabies shots that create antibodies to fight off a potential infection.
Animal control services will also monitor the animal for signs of a rabies infection. If you are scratched by a dog during an attack, you should also seek immediate medical treatment. A dog’s saliva can reach open wounds and cause infections. Rabies treatments are expensive, and you may be able to pursue these costs in a personal injury lawsuit.
Which Parties May Be Liable After A Dog Bite?
You may hesitate to bring a dog bite injury lawsuit against a dog owner because you do not want to place the owner in financial peril. The dog owner may be your close neighbor or a dear friend. It is sometimes true that the dog owner may have to compensate you, but other sources of financial compensation exist. For example, the following sources may be responsible for covering your damages:
- In some cases, the dog owner will not have any insurance, and thus, the dog owner will be financially responsible for any damages you suffer during the dog bite attack.
- Animal insurance is a form of insurance coverage that pet owners can purchase. An animal insurance policy may pay for some of your damages.
- Homeowners or renters insurance policies typically cover dog bite injuries that occur on private property. Some policies may contain provisions that eliminate coverage after a dog’s first attack.
Dog Bite Cases And Proving Liability
Strict liability usually applies to dog bite cases in California. Dog attacks that happen when the injured person is in a public place or lawfully in a private place will make the dog owner strictly liable. Some of the confusing aspects of this law are discussed below.
Trespassing
Injured victims who were on private property when the dog bite attack occurred may not establish the dog owner’s liability. These statutes protect dog owners from instances when someone breaks into a home and is then attacked by the property owner’s dog.
Some ambiguous facts can emerge in these types of cases. For example, not every section of private property is enclosed. Some unenclosed private property lies adjacent to public lands, such as biking trails and sidewalks. Whether a dog owner is liable will depend on where the accident occurred and where the victim was situated at the time of the dog attack.
Dog Attacks And The Role Of Employment
Military dogs and police dogs are often exempted from the provisions contained in strict liability statutes in California. Police dog bites that injure fleeing suspects may not be subject to strict liability statutes.
Two general principles apply in cases involving employed dogs. The dog must be considered on duty when performing a specific action it was trained to perform. Also, the entity or department that oversees the dog must have clear provisions governing the training and use of the dogs.
Cases Where Workers’ Compensation May Apply To A Dog Attack Case In California
Workers’ compensation may apply to dog bite cases involving the following people:
- Delivery workers
- Mail carriers
- Any employees who are required to enter private property to perform job functions
Workers’ compensation claims may be necessary when a dog bites one of these employees. Workers who enter private property to perform specific job duties have the implied consent of the property owners. They may thus be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, if workers’ compensation does not pay or cover the full injuries, it may be necessary to file a third-party claim.
Compensation For Dog Bite Injuries In Los Angeles
The financial compensation you pursue after a dog bite injury may help you with the non-economic and economic damages you incurred. Our Los Angeles dog bite lawyers can help you with the following categories of damages:
- Lost Wages — A dog bite attack may have caused you to stay home from work or earn less than you normally earn. Lost wages and lost future earnings are damages you can pursue in dog bite cases.
- Pain and Suffering — Dog bites may cause a significant amount of pain and suffering during the attack and even in the recovery phase.
- Bodily Disfigurement and Permanent Scarring — Bodily scarring and disfigurement following a dog bite can alter a victim’s life. They may be able to pursue financial compensation for these injuries.
- Medical Bills — Most dog bite victims go to an emergency room after a dog attack. Injured victims can pursue financial compensation for emergency room visits, stitches, and any surgical procedures their injuries may require.
A Los Angeles dog bite lawyer at Arash Law can assist you in developing a case strategy for seeking financial reimbursement for your injuries.
Reasons To Work With The Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyers At Our Firm
Dog bites are becoming more common in California. The state’s dog bite laws apply to all dog breeds, meaning an owner can be held liable for injuries regardless of the animal’s size or type. However, any dog breed can attack a person. Dog owners may also be liable for injuries if they physically abuse a dog.
Dog bite injuries can traumatize victims and cause severe emotional trauma and mental suffering. Infants and minors are more vulnerable to emotional injuries caused by dog bite attacks. Dog bite cases can give rise to complicated legal arguments.
In these instances, you may wish to retain a dog bite lawyer from our injury law firm, as they can understand these complex cases. Prior to doing so, however, it may help to take actions like the following after suffering a dog bite injury:
- Call insurance companies and establish insurance claims.
- Perform a background investigation of the dog owner.
- File a report of the dog attack with animal control services.
- Collect witness statements and speak to any witnesses.
- Obtain photographs of the accident scene and the dog bite injuries.
- Contact 911 or go to an emergency room after suffering a dog bite attack.
Contact Our Firm To Schedule A Free Initial Consultation
Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation. Our firm has handled numerous cases involving clients who suffered dog bite injuries and other personal injury issues. We serve clients in San Francisco, Riverside, Sacramento, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sherman Oaks, and other places across California. Contact our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers from Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 to learn more about the services we offer.
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