Long Beach Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

Dog Bite Attorneys in Long Beach, California

According to a November 2010 statistical brief from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), there were 316,200 emergency department visits and 9,500 hospital stays related to dog bites in 2008. This translated to an average of 866 emergency department visits and 26 hospitalizations a day, and the HCUP brief further stated that the average cost of a dog bite-related hospital stay was $18,200, or 50 percent more than the cost of the average stay for other injuries.

The Insurance Information Institute (III) and State Farm reported that homeowners insurance companies paid over $675 million in liability claims related to dog bites and other dog-related injuries in 2018. The $39,017 average cost paid out for dog bite claims nationwide in 2018 marked a 103 percent increase from 2003.

Long Beach Dog Bites Attorney

Did you or your loved one suffer serious injuries because of a dog bite in Long Beach? You are going to want to find yourself legal representation without delay.

Insurance companies are notorious for underpaying these claims, but the May Firm will fight to get you all of the compensation you are entitled to. We can examine your case as soon as you call (844) 629-3476 or contact us online to take advantage of a free consultation.

Causes of Long Beach Dog Bites

DogsBite.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and public education website, reported that fatal dog attacks on humans from January 2005 to March 2018 included the following breeds:

• Pit Bull — 284 (65.6 percent)
• Rottweiler — 45 (10.4 percent)
• German Shepherd — 20 (4.6 percent)
• Mixed-Breed — 17 (3.9 percent)
• American Bulldog — 15 (3.5 percent)
• Mastiff/Bullmastiff — 14 (3.2 percent)
• Husky — 13 (3.0 percent)
• Labrador Retriever — 9 (2.1 percent)
• Boxer — 7 (1.6 percent)
• Doberman Pinscher — 6 (1.4 percent)
• Malamute — 4 (0.9 percent)
• Golden Retriever — 4 (0.9 percent)
• Heeler — 4 (0.9 percent)
• Cane Corso — 3 (0.7 percent)
• Chow Chow — 3 (0.7 percent)
• Wolf Hybrid — 3 (0.7 percent)
• Presa Canario — 2 (0.5 percent)
• Akita — 2 (0.5 percent)
• Australian Shepherd — 2 (0.5 percent)
• Belgian Malinois — 2 (0.5 percent)

DogsBite.org reported that another 20 different dog breeds each inflicted one death.

California is considered a “strict liability” state when it comes to dog bites, which is different from the “one bite rule” used by some states. California Civil Code § 3342 establishes that the owner of a dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.

Types of Long Beach Dog Bite Injuries

According to a 2014 report published in Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), the aggregated cost of dog bite-related hospitalizations in the United States was approximately $53.9 million annually. The average cost of $18,200 for a dog bite-related hospitalization was “substantially more than the average injury-related hospitalization,” $12,100.

Injuries resulting from dog bites include, but are not limited to:

• Facial injuries
• Puncture wounds
• Eye injuries
• Amputation
• Nerve damage
• Fractures
• Neck injuries
• Disfigurement

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other psychological harm could also result from dog bites. Some dog bites could cause capnocytophaga bacteria, rabies, methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), pasteurella, or tetanus.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the rate of infection after dog bites is 10 percent to 15 percent. Convulsions or spasms, fever, difficulty swallowing, chills, difficulty breathing, tenderness or loss of sensation around the bite, oozing from the wound, fatigue, and muscle weakness are common symptoms of infection.

Dog bite injuries can also require plastic surgery in some cases. According to the 2015 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 28,079 people underwent reconstructive procedures related to dog bite repair.

Contact a Dog Bite Lawyer in Long Beach

If you or your loved one sustained severe injuries because of a dog bite in Long Beach, do not try to handle your injury claim on your own. Make sure you are working with the May Firm.

Our firm has been named one of America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators and are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Call (844) 629-3476 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.