CALIFORNIA DOG BITE
Lawyers

We are California dog bite attorneys, and we know dog attacks leave more than physical scars. Being attacked by a dog is a frightening experience that stays with the victim for the rest of their life. The California dog bite attorneys at the May Firm have represented victims of dog bites and dog attacks for years.

Dog Bite Attorney in California
In California, dog bite injuries or dog attacks is one of the most common personal injury accidents that take place. In the event that you get bitten by a dog, it is advised that you hire the services of a personal lawyer at the May Firm as soon as possible. This is a very important step, especially if you want monetary compensation and medical attention. Even if you are sufficiently covered, there are some insurance companies that may take advantage of your lack of experience regarding California dog bite laws so they do not have to compensate you appropriately.

This is where the California personal injury lawyers at the May Firm will come in handy as they will be able to argue out your case and compel the insurance firms to compensate you for your injuries and losses. The statistics speak for themselves. Residents who have sought legal services from the California personal injury attorneys at the May Firm have won their legal battles with insurance firms, and they have been compensated. If you have suffered from a dog bite injury and have been searching for a law firm in California, call the May Firm for a free consultation.

Find a California Dog Attack Lawyer
A dog bite injury lawyer is well versed in the laws of California. When hiring such lawyers, their legal and educational background are very important and should be considered. For instance, it does not make sense to hire a personal injury lawyer whose record is lacking as far as the representation of his/her previous clients. Our attorneys have represented those attacked at California dog beaches, bitten walking down State Street, and just taking a walk in their own neighborhood.

You never know when a dangerous animal will attack, and it is difficult to know what to do after the attack. The dog bite attorneys at the May Firm have tremendous experience and success representing dog attack victims. If your dog bite attorney advocates for you effectively, you are likely to get more monetary compensation as a result of the dog bite that you endured in California.

If you have recently been the victim of an animal attack, there is very little time to act in order to receive full compensation for your injuries. California state law has very specific laws dedicated to the liability for owners of dogs who inflict injuries on other people.

California Dog Bite Injury Law
California civil code directly states that the owner of a dog that inflicts damages is liable for the damages that are suffered by the person who is bitten as long as the attack happened in a public place or the individual that suffered damages was attacked while he or she was lawfully in a private place.

This private place can be a residence, a business, or anywhere else that a person is allowed into. Liability for the dog bite is still placed on the owner, regardless of any prior aggression shown by the animal. Even if the dog hasn’t bitten anyone before, the owner of the animal is still liable to pay for the damages inflicted upon the other person.

In addition to direct attacks, dogs can cause other types of damages to people. For example, if a dog were to run out in front of a vehicle on the road and the animal ran the vehicle off the road, the owner of the dog would be liable to pay for any damages to the vehicle, damage caused by the vehicle, and damages caused to the driver’s health.

The first thing to do if bitten by a dog is to seek medical attention. Even if the dog’s teeth or claws did not break the skin, other injuries can be sustained, like bruises to both bone and muscle or even a sprain, in an attempt to fight off the animal. Seeing a medical professional is obviously important for health reasons, but it also helps strengthen your case should legal action be taken.

If the skin is broken, dog teeth will often cause a puncture wound. WebMD suggests placing a clean towel over the wound to stop any bleeding, keeping the area elevated, and washing it with soap and water. Dogs’ mouths can harbor a lot of bacteria, so keeping the wound clean and sterile is of the utmost importance. Redness, swelling, warmth, or pus are all signs of infection and should be addressed by a doctor as soon as possible. Those with certain pre-existing health conditions, like diabetes, or liver disease may be at a greater risk for disease.

The American Red Cross warns against chasing down or trying to capture the dog that bit you; a captured dog will most likely become frightened and attempt to fight its way to freedom. If the dog is one you do not know, it is important to get tested for diseases like rabies. The best chance of surviving rabies is if a vaccine is administered before signs of illness are apparent.

After being attacked, exchange information with the dog’s owner if they are present and you are able to. Most circumstances that involve a dog attack will also include other witnesses, and it would be wise to collect their information as well, if they are willing to share it. Testimonials from other people who saw the attack help to serve as secondary accounts of what you and your attorney will allege happened. The May Firm will use any information available to call witnesses as well as capture a police animal control report from the authorities if they’re involved to make sure the account of the attack is accurate.

Accurate reports, accounts, and testimony strengthen your case and increase your chance of getting a fair settlement. California is a strict liability state, and, the issue in dog bite cases is often proving ownership of the animal, locating the owner, and confirming insurance information and the assets of the owner of the animal.

California is one of the states that makes dog owners strictly liable when their dogs cause injuries (under Civil Code section 3342). Although fatalities are rare, a dog bite can result in hospitalization, lost income due to lost time from work, emotional trauma, and pain.

If you have been bitten by a dog, you can file a personal injury claim within two years of the actual date of the dog bite. In California, if your claim is more than $7,500, you will need to file a proper lawsuit in a California Superior Court. Claims less than $7,500 can be filed in the California Small Claims Court that has jurisdiction.

The state of California has clearly written laws set out on the liability of owners when their dog attacks an individual. The owner of a dog that attacks an individual is fully responsible for the actions of the dog, and although there was once a rule that stated that each dog had a “one free bite” pass, meaning that a dog that has never previously shown aggression toward people or other animals or a dog that has never previously attacked someone has a free pass on the first occasion that this happens, this rule has since been revoked. This line becomes somewhat blurry, however, when the dog is in the care of a non-owner, such as a pet sitter or dog walker, and then attacks another individual.

California civil code currently has a statute that protects non-owners from being liable for the actions of the dog. A non-owner is anyone that was overseeing the care of the dog when the dog attack occurred but is not the owner of the animal. Since there are so many situations in which a dog attack can occur, the state decided to pass a statute to protect non-owners from being held liable in the event of a dog attack. A “keeper,” or anyone that is watching the dog for the owner, is not liable to pay for the damages and related costs that the dog inflicts upon another human being as long as the keeper is aware of the past history of aggression that the dog has and has taken the necessary precautions to avoid a situation in which someone could potentially be injured. These precautions include special dog collars to keep the dog from running off and hurting someone and an understanding of any potential harm that the dog could cause.

Since non-owners are not held liable for the dog attack, the damages must be paid by the owner of the animal. Non-owners that have taken the necessary precautions to avoid harming anyone are not held responsible for the attack in any way and are therefore able to avoid paying for the damages and related costs.

In addition, if the injured party was not lawfully in the residence of a non-owner and the dog attacked them, this is seen as an act of defense. Neither the non-owner nor the owner pays for the damages caused in this case, as an act of defense is not seen as an attack.