It’s distressing to find out that a family member or friend was attacked by a dog. Because the aftermath of such a severe injury is far more difficult to cope with. While a dog bite is a terrifying experience, the law protects your right to financial compensation. As before, it’s much simpler now thanks to the fact that Sacramento Dog Bite Lawyers have shown they can successfully defend their clients.
Dog bite victims in California may seek compensation via a number of legal avenues, depending on the specific statute that was violated. Sometimes all the victim has to do to be compensated is prove they were bitten. To seek compensation for damage in other cases, you must satisfy a more traditional negligence requirement. This means you’d have to prove the dog owner’s negligence caused the accident.
Laws Regarding Dog Bites in California
The state of California enforces strict liability statutes in the event of a dog bite. Dog owners are held legally accountable for any damages caused by their dogs, regardless of whether or not the owners were aware of their dogs’ propensity for violence, under the doctrine of “strict responsibility” in dog bite cases. In the case of a dog attack, the owner cannot claim ignorance or that they took reasonable precautions to keep their pet from harming someone.
Strict liability rules are generally applied, however, there are a few notable exceptions. When a person is bitten by a dog, the owner is strictly accountable only if the incident occurred in a public area or while the person was legitimately present on the owner’s private property. Someone with a legal right to be on private property, such as a postman, is doing it lawfully.
There is also an exemption to strict liability statutes for police and military dogs acting in the course of duty or protecting themselves against irritating or offensive conduct. In addition, if the victim did not sustain a dog bite, then California’s dog bite statutes would not apply.
If your dog has bitten someone in the past, you must take all required precautions to ensure it doesn’t happen again. In certain cases, the court may issue an order compelling the dog’s owner to either remove the animal from the area or have it put down.
Officers from animal control or law enforcement may ask the court to impose certain restrictions, such as requiring the dog’s owner to confine the animal to the house, keep it on a leash at all times, or enclose the dog in a fenced yard, if they have reason to believe the dog is dangerous. If a dog owner is caught breaking these rules, they will be punished.
Legal Responsibilities for Dog Owners
When a dog bites and causes injuries, the owner may be held legally responsible in two ways: criminally and civilly. If you were injured by a dog in California and you want to sue for damages, you have two years from the date of the incident to do so.
But then, when another type of injury occurs other than the dog bite, say, for instance, you were knocked down by a dog, then the regular negligence rules may apply.
What should you do if a dog has bitten you?
If you have been bitten by a dog, you should remove yourself from any potential threat, especially if the dog seems ferocious. After you are secure, you must locate the owner and inquire about their insurance coverage.
Look to see if there are any witnesses and get their contact information, since this may assist your claim for compensation. Also, you should inform the police and document the incident in writing. All of this may be used to collect evidence for your dog bite compensation claim.
If you need medical assistance, be sure to take images of your injuries. These images and any medical documents will aid in the development of your case.
Take Advantage Of Medical Care
Any injury should prompt an immediate trip to the emergency room. Even superficial dog bites might cause serious problems. Each time a dog bites so deeply that it tears the skin, it is a reason for worry because of the bacteria that may be present in the dog’s mouth.
Dogs may transmit the potentially fatal rabies virus to humans via their saliva. You or your kid may have to go through unpleasant treatment if the dog’s owner hasn’t maintained the animal’s vaccines up to date. The bite of a dog may put you in danger of illness even if the dog has been vaccinated, therefore it’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible after the incident.
Be Sure To Record This Incident
Expenses for medical care after a dog bite may up rapidly. You could need antibiotics, painkillers, and sutures. A severe bite might cause lifelong scarring, deformity, or nerve or muscle damage, necessitating reconstructive surgery or other medical interventions.
You will need to keep records of the occurrence if you want to file a claim with an insurance company or file a lawsuit for damages. This may be accomplished in the following ways:
- Ask the dog’s owner for details, such as the name of the dog’s veterinarian.
- Get in touch with potential eyewitnesses and jot down their details.
- Make a call to the local animal control office and inform them that a dog bit you. Dogs that have bitten someone in California are required by law to be placed in quarantine.
- Document the wounds with photographs as they heal.
- To prevent yourself from losing crucial facts, write down your recollection of the events as soon as feasible.
- Maintain a record of any injury-related costs and difficulties.
Why do you need A Sacramento Dog Bite Attorney?
You may attempt to file a claim with the dog owner’s insurance company for compensation, but how do you know whether the amount they give you is fair? Well, that is what a competent Sacramento Dog Bite Attorney is there for. They will be able to estimate the whole cost, including medical bills, lost wages, and other potential costs.
A local Sacramento dog bite attorney will help you in getting the documents, that are needed and they will file your claim on your behalf. A Sacramento dog bite attorney can assist you in gathering the necessary evidence, such as police reports, witness testimonies, and medical records. A Sacramento dog bite lawyer may also assist you to file a claim with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if the dog’s owner was uninsured or if you do not know who owned the animal.
You would also remember that regardless of the severity of the injuries, you may still exercise your right. Nonetheless, dog bites may cause injuries ranging from moderate to serious. Common dog bite injuries include the following:
- Scars and puncture wounds
- Bone fractures
- Injuries to the head, neck, or eyes
- facial wounds
- Damage to the nerves
- Emotional distress.
Victims of dog bites may also be entitled to punitive damages in extreme circumstances if the dog’s owner acts intentionally.
Victims are entitled to compensation for all of their damages, even those not directly related to the animal attack. As these monetary awards are available to victims via a court judgment, settlements often represent an estimate of what a victim may get at trial.
Your total compensation award will be impacted by the extent of your damage. Dogs may represent a serious risk to human health because they may sometimes be infected with rabies.
Can I seek compensation for a dog bite?
You may file a claim for compensation if you were bitten by someone else’s dog and sustained even minimal bodily injury. The owner has a legal obligation to keep their dog under control and others safe, whether they are at home or in public.
Generally, you may seek compensation for a dog bite if:
- The dog bite occurred during the last three years.
- You are able to show that you were wounded and that your injury was caused by the actions of another person or organization.
What You May Submit a Claim For
Before you submit a claim, it is very important to understand what you can submit a claim for, and why you are doing so. So, a Sacramento Dog Bite Attorney will take into consideration three things, which includes:
- General damages – the severity of the bodily or mental suffering you have sustained
- Personal or Special Damages: Special damages are any monetary losses you’ve incurred, such as medical expenses or lost wages.
- Long-term impact — any long-term effects on your life, such as alterations to your residence.
How Much Compensation Can You Get?
The purpose of compensation for injuries caused by a dog bite, like with any other personal injury litigation, is to compensate the victim for their actual losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and scars. Each dog bite injury claim is unique, thus there is no standard compensation figure. The severity of your injuries, how they will affect you in the long run, and the amount of money you’ve lost will all go into the evaluation of your claim.
For specific injuries caused by dogs, past instances have resulted in awards like these:
- Cash payouts for minor hand injuries can go as high as $4,500.
- Up to $7,400 for amputation of a finger
- Up to $58,000 for serious hand injuries
You should choose a Sacramento dog bite attorney with experience to assist you to receive the most money possible for your case.
Contacts of Some of the Best Sacramento Dog Bite Attorneys
Pintas and Mullins
- Website: Pintas and Mullins pr
Wing and Parisi
- Website: Wing and Parisi
Eason and Tambornini
- Website: Eason and Tambornini