As man's best friend, a dog possesses multiple qualities; from their ability to herd livestock to guarding your home, they can do it all. However, they can sometimes become scared or aggressive. Whatever the case, a dog bite can bring about various injuries, leading to tremendous pain and steep medical bills. You need a Sacramento dog bite lawyer to help you present your case. Here's everything you need to know.
Since dog bites are not a rare phenomenon, the circumstances that cause a dog to bite could determine how to proceed. For instance, in some cases, it may be an attempt to fend off an attack, while in others, the dog might have acted out of its own volition.
That’s why upwards of 4.7 million Americans report to a hospital with dog bites every year. One in five injuries tends to be severe or life-threatening. They can culminate in the victim requiring some form of reconstructive surgery. Dogs that bite people mostly weigh around 60 to 100 pounds.
Regarding potential compensation, one insurance company places the average cost per claim at around $49,000. Nationally, the cost balloons to a whopping $854 million for most insurers, with California having the highest liability claims.
Dog bites vary in severity, from a little nip that punctures your skin to more severe flesh wounds. Further, if the dog is not vaccinated, there’s a great possibility it could infect you with rabies. Rabies infection can bring about the death of the bite victim. Some common dog bite injuries include:
If a dog bites you, seek medical treatment immediately, even if it isn’t alarming. As you receive treatment, ensure you document every step of the process. This can be through photos of the injury, the medical personnel’s steps to treat your injuries, and the entire healing process.
Another way to record the occurrence is to write down your recollection of it. This enables you not to forget crucial details. Also, keep a log of any expenses you incur when treating this injury and any loss of income.
In the State of California, dog bites fall under strict liability laws. It means the legal responsibility for the dog bite falls squarely with the dog’s owner. Your dog bite lawyer doesn’t have to prove carelessness, negligence, or fault. It matters little whether the pet owner knows their dog has vicious tendencies or whether such an incident has happened before.
Dog bites can attract both civil and criminal charges. They have a limitation of two years for victims to bring charges against the owner or handler. As a dog bite victim, the law prescribes that you receive compensation for injuries suffered. You are entitled to two types of damages:
While the law provides remedies you can pursue, it’s best you do so with the help of a Sacramento personal injury lawyer. Representing yourself can seem prudent, yet you may not know the ins and outs of filing such cases or how to successfully argue them out before the court.
An attorney can be of help to your matter in various ways. The most important is to handle communications between yourself and the other parties involved, such as the dog’s owner and insurance provider. A lawyer’s team will also gather the necessary evidence to help establish the reasons for filing a civil claim. They’ll also collect all the medical proof from your treatment to determine the extent of the harm you suffered.
A prudent lawyer will go further and do the following:
Collect all this information for presentation to the insurance company and to ensure you get a fair settlement for the losses you have suffered.
Jonathan M. Kashani is the founder of Kash Legal Group, specializing in personal injury law with a commitment to providing personalized client services and high-quality legal representation. He holds a Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law and is admitted to practice in all state courts of California and the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
Relying on a balance of probabilities isn’t a good approach for your dog bite case. Instead, you require an experienced injury lawyer who will go above and beyond to present your case. That’s why you should work with us at Kash Legal.
When you get a seasoned lawyer, you’re confident that you have someone by your side who knows how to navigate your particular case. Give us a call at (888) 527-4128 or fill out this contact form to get started.
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