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Spanish Dog bite liability falls on the dog’s owner’s shoulders. For this reason, it generally does not matter where an attack took place if you were on the property legally. If you have suffered injuries from a dog bite, you can likely hold the dog’s owner legally liable.
A personal injury lawyer can help you file an insurance claim or lawsuit to recover fair compensation to pay your bills and cover your losses. At KJT Law Group, we provide free consultations so you can learn more and get answers to your questions. Contact us today to get started.
We Provide Legal Insights Based on Your California Dog Bite Case
A dog attack could occur on your property, someone else’s property, or even in a public park or dog park. While these are premises liability cases, it comes down to dog owner responsibility. The animal’s owner is responsible for its behavior and any injuries it causes under most circumstances.
Dog owners must keep their pets and working dogs under their control at all times. This could include inside a fence, within a contained boundary, on a leash, or under close voice control. When the dog is on someone else’s property or in a public place, they are likely responsible for any attack that occurs.
They must also protect those who are legally on their property. This could include friends, family, invited guests, repair technicians, delivery drivers, and others.
What Does California Law Say About Liability for My Dog Bite Injuries?
California law recognizes strict liability for dog bites. The dog’s owner can be held legally accountable for a dog bite that occurs when the victim is legally on the owner’s property, someone else’s property, or public property. This is true “regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”
This means the dog’s owner must pay for your injuries and related costs even if the dog has never acted inappropriately before.
How trespasser dog bite laws work depends greatly on the case’s facts. For example, someone who jumps a fence with the intention of breaking into a home but is bitten by a dog instead might not recover compensation at a jury trial. However, a child who came into the yard to retrieve a lost frisbee but was attacked might.
You can get a free consultation from a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer to learn more about your legal options. Our team can assess your case and explain what we believe you can accomplish by taking legal action in your case—and how we can help.
What Are the Recoverable Damages in a Dog Bite Case?
Whether we build a case based on strict liability under California law or negligence in dog bite cases, we can often build a compelling argument for fair compensation. This payout might be the same regardless of which approach we take because our attorneys present strong evidence to document what happened and the expenses and losses our clients suffered.
Each case is unique, but some of the common recoverable damages in these cases include:
- Current and future medical care and support costs
- Income losses if you miss time working
- Reduced ability to work and earn with lasting injuries
- Property damage
- Related expenses with receipts or other documentation
- Pain and suffering damages
- Emotional distress
What Should I Do If I Was Hurt by a Dog Bite on Someone Else’s Property?
If you suffered injuries in a California dog bite injury, you should get medical care first. See your doctor, go to an urgent care facility, or call 911 for an ambulance ride to the nearest emergency department as needed. Even dog bites that seem relatively minor could be at high risk of infection.
Under California law, a doctor must report a dog bite injury. This will take care of filing the report with local law enforcement, animal control, or the Sheriff’s Office.
Once your wounds are clean and you are under a doctor’s care in the event of complications, reach out to our team. We will:
- Answer your questions
- Provide a complimentary case review
- Discuss your legal options
- Explain how we can help
- Talk about how our contingency fees work
You generally have up to two years to sue for personal injuries or wrongful death in California under CCP § 335.1. This applies to most dog bite cases. However, we must work on your case well before this deadline arrives. Let us evaluate your options as soon as your injuries heal enough for you to make the call. This will allow us to build the strongest case possible to support your compensation claim or lawsuit.
Discuss Your Dog Bite Case With Our Team Today for Free
You can get a free legal consultation from KJT Law Group by calling our team. We are here for you when you need us most. We can assess your case and explain how we can help. Contact us now to get started.
