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English Dog bites can cause serious physical injuries and emotional trauma. Victims often need significant compensation to pay for their medical care, lost income, and other damages. However, many make mistakes that could lead to a reduction in their payout or a claim denial.
Trabajar con un Los Angeles abogado de mordedura de perro from the start can protect your rights and help you recover fair compensation for your injuries, expenses, and losses. However, you should also be careful to avoid making these common mistakes when filing a dog bite claim in California.
Six Common Mistakes After California Dog Bite Injuries
Some common mistakes victims make after a California dog bite include:
1. Failing to Get Immediate Medical Attention
After a dog bite, your health and well-being must be your top priorities. Dog bites have a high risk of infection, so even a relatively minor bite could have serious health consequences. Not getting medical care immediately could endanger your health, and it also weakens your claim.
If you delay treatment, the dog’s owner and their insurance carrier may argue that your injuries are minor or did not occur because of the attack. Your medical records showing immediate treatment will tie the injuries to the attack and bolster your claim.
2. Not Reporting a Dog Bite to the Authorities
Always report dog bites to your local animal control or health department. The emergency room physicians or responding police officers may take care of this step, but you will want to double-check.
Filing a report about the incident with the property authorities in your county creates an official record of the bite. It could also be essential to keeping others safe. Owners of aggressive or dangerous dogs must take additional action to prevent future attacks.
3. Neglecting to Gather Evidence
Sometimes, evidence disappears within hours or days of an incident. When possible, you want to document the attack as much as possible before leaving the scene. If your injuries allow, take photos or videos of the scene and your injuries and get names and contact information for any eyewitnesses. Once you receive medical care, be sure to keep your damaged clothing and document your injuries with photos.
Other key evidence in these cases often includes:
- Declaraciones de testigos
- Medical records and imaging
- Surveillance or video footage of the attack
- Police or animal control reports
- Documentación de daños
4. Admitting Fault or Downplaying the Incident
Victims often make small, seemingly harmless statements that insurance companies later use to reduce or deny their claims. For example, apologizing to the dog’s owner could suggest that you provoked the attack or are otherwise liable. Do not say you are “fine” or “OK.” Instead, stick to the facts of the case—when and where the attack occurred and who was present—until you have talked to an attorney.
Do not post anything about the incident on social media or discuss fault in the case with anyone. Your lawyer will offer guidance on what you should say and when.
5. Accepting a Quick Settlement Offer
Navigating the dog bite insurance claims process can be frustrating and confusing. It is only natural to want to put this behind you. Insurance companies know this and often make lowball offers in an attempt to settle claims quickly before victims realize how much they have lost.
Accepting one of these offers often means settling for less than you need to pay for your current and future care. Always talk to an attorney before agreeing to a settlement.
6. Not Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Many dog bite victims do not want to spend money on an attorney or believe they cannot afford one. They attempt to handle their claim on their own and then run into difficulties navigating the process. Hiring a Abogado de lesiones personales de Los Ángeles requires no upfront costs or fees, and you can count on them to:
- Handle your case while you focus on healing
- Evaluate the potential value of your case
- Gather and present compelling evidence
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File a lawsuit when necessary
- Ensure you meet all legal deadlines
- Answer your questions and address any concerns about the case
- Represent your best interests from beginning to end
Understanding California’s Dog Bite Laws
California follows strict liability laws for dog owners under CCP § 3342. This means dog owners are legally liable for the injuries and damages their animals cause, regardless of the dog’s history.
The dog owner is responsible for the harm caused if the dog bites someone without provocation, and that person is:
- On public property
- On their own private property
- Legally on someone else’s private property
- Legally on the owner’s private property, including making deliveries or for other business reasons
A California dog bite lawyer can usually build a case and hold the dog’s owner accountable for the injuries you suffered after an attack. This is possible through settlement negotiations or filing a lawsuit and litigating the case. Most cases settle outside of court.
Act Quickly to Connect With a California Dog Bite Lawyer
Having a dog bite lawyer managing your case is the best way to protect your rights, avoid mistakes, and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and damages. When possible, you should consider discussing your case with a lawyer as soon as your injuries allow you to make the call and discuss what happened during a free consultation.
While the California personal injury statute of limitations, PCCh § 335.1, generally gives victims up to dos años to file a lawsuit, you do not want to wait to begin building your case. Act quickly to ensure you have the strongest possible claim against the dog’s owner. Hire a dog bite lawyer today.
What Should I Do After a California Dog Bite Injury?
After you get medical care and have a treatment plan, a California dog bite attorney should be your next priority. At KJT Law Group, our team can prevent you from making mistakes when filing a dog bite claim in California. We represent injured victims based on contingency. Learn more during a free, confidential consultation with our team. Call today.
