Would you be surprised that there are almost five million dog bites every year? While most are minor, some can be serious – and can even lead to death. More than half of dog bites happen in a home and dogs the victim is familiar with, though many dog bite victims are children. In fact, children who are bitten are most likely to need medical attention.
A dog bite can be more than painful – it can be traumatic. The first thing to do is of course to seek medical treatment. However, working with a California dog bite attorney is also essential. California has specific laws that affect people who’ve been bitten by a dog, which is why you need a personal injury attorney who is experienced with these particular types of cases.
California laws involving dog bites
In California, a dog owner has strict liability when their dog bites someone. According to California Civil Code, an owner is liable any time their dog bites someone in a public place, or a person who’s legally in a private place. For example, if someone was invited over then the owner is liable for their dog biting them, while someone who broke into a home and was bitten by a dog would not have a personal injury case against the dog’s owner.
Another interesting fact about California dog bite laws is that the dog doesn’t have to have acted violently in the past, and the owner doesn’t have to be aware of the dog’s ability to be violent. This is different than in other states, where a dog who bites out of nowhere has different rules. In California, if an owner’s dog bites someone, then the owner is responsible for paying damages that the victim suffered.
Several types of damages can be recovered
If you’ve been bitten by a dog, then Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas can help. During your free consultation, we’ll briefly go over your case and let you know what options are available to you. They may include damages for:
- Past and future medical costs.
- Loss of earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering (both past and future).
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Loss of income (past and future).
- Emotional distress.
- Punitive damages
In the event of a wrongful death case, there may be other damages awarded as well.
Call today for your free dog bite consultation
If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a dog bite then you owe it yourself and your loved ones to contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas. We take cases on contingency, which means that not only will you get a free consultation, but you won’t have to pay us until your case is settled. If we aren’t able to recover damages for you then you won’t have to pay us at all! Call today at 909-982-0707 for more information.
