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California Dog Bite Attorneys
Dog attacks are terrifying experiences. They’re often unpredictable – even the friendliest canine can bite unexpectedly. But not only are dog bites painful and distressing, they can lead to serious injuries.
In the worst cases, dog bites can leave victims with life-threatening or fatal injuries.
At The May Firm, our dog bite lawyers in California understand how concerning dog bites can be. And although we love animals, we also care about seeking the justice our clients deserve for dog attack injuries. If you need an attorney, contact our award-winning California dog bite injury lawyers now.
Every initial consultation is completely free. Don’t hesitate to call to discuss your legal rights and how to pursue the damages you deserve.
Owner Responsibility for Dog Bite Injuries in California
CA state law is clear here. Dog owners are strictly liable for any harm their dog causes in public, or when someone is lawfully on the owner’s private property.
It doesn’t matter if the dog is normally placid. If you can prove your dog bite injuries, and that the bite happened as reported, you can claim damages.
Our dog bite lawyers in California can explain if you have a claim and how to prove it.
The Role of Animal Control in California
Owners are usually responsible for a dog bite in CA. However, if the dog is under the care of animal control, it may be possible to sue the animal control officer. These situations are very unusual, but they do occur.
If you need a dog bite lawyer for animal control in California, don’t hesitate to call to discuss how we might help. We can explain who might be liable and how to prove a compensation claim.
Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bite injuries depend on the depth and strength of the bite, and whether there’s rabies or infection present. Dog bite injuries can be scaled based on severity. This helps your California dog bite lawyer value your claim most accurately.
Common dog bite injuries include:
- Cuts and grazes
- Minor penetrative wounds
- Deep penetrative wounds
- Blood loss and trauma
- Bruising
- Infection
- Nerve damage
- Scarring
Rabies, a highly serious infection, is a concern after a dog bite in CA. If the skin breaks and you’re exposed to rabies infection, you could develop severe and fatal symptoms. You must visit ER immediately for evaluation – prompt treatment can prevent disease.
How Our Dog Bite Lawyers in Southern California Can Help
From the moment you contact our office, we’re ready to work for you. Our team of experienced California dog bite attorneys will:
- Thoroughly evaluate the evidence to determine if you have a claim
- Explain how much your case may be worth
- Propose a strategy for moving your case forward
- Arrange medical care, counseling, or plastic surgery review for you
- Negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf
- Pursue a court hearing if this is required to get you justice
- Give you peace of mind and space to recover while we handle the legalities for you
Free Case Evaluation
At The May Firm, we believe in fair and equal access to justice. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis. You don’t pay us anything unless we win your case!
It’s completely free to pursue a claim. If you win, we will receive a pre-agreed sum from your damages check. If you lose, don’t worry. We cover all costs.
That’s how much we believe in every case we take on.
Contact us now to tell us what happened and start the claims process. The first consultation is always free.
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE BITTEN BY A DOG
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, after defending yourself. 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.
Even if you don’t know the full extent of your injuries yet, you can still call our firm. Our California dog bite lawyers can start the claims process immediately.
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ESTABLISHING FAULT
To make a dog bite injury claim, you must show that:
- You were attacked by the dog in question
- You sustained a dog bite injury
- The dog has an owner i.e. it’s not a wild animal
- You were lawfully on the owner’s property or in a public place
To improve your chances of success, take the following action:
- Exchange information with the dog’s owner if possible
- Gather witness details if anyone witnesses the incident
- Take pictures or videos of the dog, your location, and your injuries
- Call the police and/or animal control to report the incident and have it documented
- Seek medical attention
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, but 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.
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CHILDREN AND DOG ATTACKS
According to safetyarounddogs.org, dog bites are the second most common cause for emergency room visits among nine activities common with children. The CDC shows that the odds of a dog bite happening to a child are 3.2 to 1.
Although around 81% of dog bites that occur to the general population leave little or no injury, it’s still very important to keep an eye on small children when they’re around canines, even if it is a family pet.
Safetyarounddogs.org notes that children being unsupervised greatly increases the risk of an attack, and they give some useful information that stresses the importance of adult supervision in keeping children safe:
- Dogs are much less likely to attack a child in the presence of an adult, particularly in the presence of the owner.
- If a dog does attack a child in the presence of an adult, the intervention of the adult often prevents the attack from becoming a fatality.
- Children, because of their small size, are usually not able to sustain an attack until help arrives. Many adults survive severe dog attacks simply because they can fend the dogs off to some degree until assistance arrives.
- Children often engage in dangerous behavior (approaching too close to a chained dog or trying to hug/kiss an unfamiliar animal) that a supervising adult would have prevented.
Even if a child is careless, it’s still an owner’s responsibility to protect the public from harm. If your child is harmed in a dog attack, call us to learn more about your legal options.
ESTABLISHING FAULT
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, but, 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.
““Rob May and his team achieved over and above what I ever anticipated. I am thankful I found them, and I hold them in the highest esteem. Should you ever need a conscientious and diligent personal injury lawyer, I strongly recommend Robert May. He’s awesome. Thanks, guys, for your patience and professionalism. You rock!””
FREE CONSULTATION WITH A CALIFORNIA DOG BITE INJURY LAWYER
Have you received a dog bite in California? Contact The May Firm to discuss if you have a case. You can call 866-619-6679 or tell us what happened online.
You won’t pay anything for your free case evaluation, and we don’t charge anything unless we win your case.
Most dog bite cases settle out of court, so you can focus on a swift resolution and moving forward with your life. However, should court be necessary, know that our California dog bite attorneys will vigorously defend your rights.
We all love animals here at The May Firm. But we know how traumatizing dog bite injuries can be. We want to help you through this ordeal – contact us now to discuss your options
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