Southern California Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

Dog bite injury attorney

A Dog Bite Injury Attorney in Southern California can help dog bite victims and the parents of animal attack victims.

Many of us are pet owners and have one or more dogs that we
joke are members of the family. According to The Humane Society of the United States; currently, 39
percent of U.S.
households own at least one dog. That means that:

  • 2 of every 5 homes have dog(s)
  • 60% of dog owners own 1 dog
  • 28% of dog owners own 2 dogs
  • 12% of dog owners own 3+ dogs

But not all dogs are your best friend

Though most of us love dogs and treat them as our family members, there are some instances which show that not all dogs are our best friends.

While dogs can be a source of joy, and provide us with happiness, they are
still less-aware animals. They are prone to attack by nature or may strike viciously when
frightened, cornered or startled. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more
than 4.5 million Americans are victims of dog bites each and every year —many of them being innocent
children.

Why should I hire a personal injury attorney for a dog bite case?

Are you aware that insurance adjusters or insurance companies regularly settle cases with dog bite victims or their parents for 10 to 20 percent of the real value of your dog bite injury case? Insurance adjusters are simply NOT on your side. In fact, their job is to reduce the value of your case. That’s where hiring a professional dog bite injury attorney can help you receive the proper compensation you deserve.

How do I pay the fees of a law firm representing me in a dog bite lawsuit?

With our “No Recovery – No Fees” approach toPersonal Injury cases, we at Khashan Law Firm promise to represent you at no cost until we win your case. This is known as a contingency fee arrangement. If we accept your case, we will cover all of the expenses that are required for building a strong and winnable case. These expenses include paying our team of skilled dog bite attorneys, covering the costs of our paralegals and staff, costs for obtaining client medical records, veterinary records of the accused animal, hiring a commercial photographer to document the victim’s wounds, paying investigators for researching the attacking dog’s history, hiring dog bite experts if negotiations fail and filing a court case if necessary.

Interestingly, dog bite victims who attempt to negotiate their settlement with an insurance company will more often end up in the courtroom with a poor case. On the other hand, an experienced dog bite lawyer lawyer knows how to collect the evidence and present the facts and evidence in such a way that lets the insurance company have a peek at what a court trial might look like if they don’t come to an out-of-court settlement as they more clearly see the risk that a court trial might end up in a monster award (“those crazy juries….”).

What if the animal is owned by a neighbor or acquaintance?

It can be helpful to just explain to the animal’s owner that you have a dog bite injury attorney that handles your insurance negotiations and will be handling this unfortunate incident with the owner’s insurance company. Remember, the recovery money that we are seeking as compensation for you or your child’s injury and distress is from the dog owner’s insurance carrier, not directly from the dog owner.

Animal is owned by a neighbor

How a Dog Bite Lawyer proves liability in a Dog bite injury case?

For lawyers representing victims of dog bite or attack, the main consideration for legal action would be determining the liability in the case. Liability refers to who should be held liable, or responsible, for the injury or attack. Determining the liability helps to decide who should be held responsible for paying the costs associated with the injury, like the cost of medical care administered, present and future medical bills, pain and suffering costs, and emotional distress.

Important Terms for understanding the extent of liability in dog bite claims are:

Strict liability: Strict Liability is applicable in certain cases where a defendant can be held liable for an event that occurred regardless of whether they were completely responsible and could have done something to prevent it

Negligence: Failure to show or take reasonable care resulting in an injury or untoward incident.

One-bite rule: Some states in the U.S. follow the “one-bite” rule. The rule decides the defendant’s liability based on whether they were aware that their dog is vicious and might act in a harmful way. The one-bite rule gives the owner the benefit of doubt and comes from the idea that the dog’s first bite is not punishable. However, after which the owner of the dog can be held responsible for any subsequent dog bite or attack.

Burden of proof: The plaintiff or defendant has an obligation to provide satisfactory proof to support their position.

What damages are recoverable in dog bite cases?

Compensation for physical injuries may include money for medical bills, lost wages, property damages and other expenses. The victim may also be entitled to pain and suffering damages, which encompass both physical and emotional injuries. Victims may also be able to seek punitive damages, which are awarded as a form of punishment.

Each situation will vary, and the victim’s damages may also depend on the state in which the case is filed. Victims of dog bites should speak with experienced personal injury lawyers to determine their specific rights and potential damages depending on the dog bite laws in their state and jurisdiction.

Contact a Southern California Personal Injury Lawyer

The Southern
California Personal Injury Lawyers
at Khashan Law represents clients injured by
dog bites, car accidents, workplace accidents, accidents on another’s property, medical malpractice,
and wrongful death cases. If you think you may have a personal injury case, please do not hesitate
to seek the expert legal assistance you need to make things right. It costs nothing
to call us, costs nothing for a consultation, and costs nothing to
get us started looking out for your rights if we agree that you have a solid case.

Unexpected and unfortunate things happen to good people. Our caring legal
professionals are here to help you recover the financial payment you deserve so you can get on with
your life. Remember, all legal fees are based on a percentage of the award, and you pay nothing for
our services until we win your case. We have three conveniently-located offices in Southern
California.

FAQs

California is a strict liability state. Under California law, an owner of a dog is liable for damages caused by the dog if the victim is bitten. The bite can occur in public or private places, including on the owner’s property. Regardless of whether or not the dog has ever displayed viciousness before, the owner is liable for any damage caused by it.

California has the most dog bites and attack cases in the USA.

California follows strict liability, hence if a dog bites someone the owners will be held liable. However, the owner is not sent to jail or is not required to serve time. The owner has to pay suitable compensation to the victim and the family to cover the cost of damages and losses suffered.

Southern California Cities we serve include, but are not limited to:

  • OCEANSIDE
  • MURRIETA
  • TEMECULA
  • CORONA
  • MORENO VALLEY
  • GARDEN GROVE
  • ESCONDIDO
  • PASADENA
  • ORANGE
  • COSTA MESA
  • VENTURA
  • DOWNEY
  • VICTORVILLE
  • NORWALK
  • BURBANK
  • MISSION VIEJO
  • NEWPORT BEACH
  • SANTA MONICA
  • TUSTIN
  • ROSEMEAD

Do you have questions about your Personal Injury Case?

If you are an accident victim who has been injured in a vehicle accident, in
a slip and fall accident at some business or facility, or injured by the negligent and wrongful
conduct of others, and need answers to your questions or to find out what your case is worth, please
call us today at (951) 461-2387 for a free, confidential consultation. Or if you prefer, fill out
our
Contact Form. A lawyer or staffer from Southern California Personal Injury Lawyers
will call as soon as possible you to schedule an appointment.

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