Dog bites do more than cause you injury in the moment. They can cause long-term trauma and pain for anyone who suffers from them, not to mention the loved ones who have to bear witness to an attack.
You can reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 816-0755 to learn how to receive legal guidance from a Compton dog bite lawyer after a dog bite accident.
Taking Legal Action if a Dog Bites You
California Civil Code (CIV) §3342 states that a dog’s owner is liable for any damages the dog causes by biting a person while that person was on public property or legally on private property. In addition to the dog’s owner, there may be other parties who can be held liable for your damages, including:
- The owner of the property on which the attack occurred, provided that the property owner and the dog owner are not the same people
- The landlord on whose property you suffered from the attack
- The dog’s caretaker, provided that the caretaker and the dog’s owner are not the same people
Fighting for Compensation
When it comes to fighting for compensation after a dog bite accident, there is no one way to go through the legal process. You may choose to hire a lawyer and let them help you determine what means of legal action might suit you best, based on the circumstances that led to the attack in question.
Demand Letters
If you would prefer to keep negotiations for compensation between yourself and the other party involved in your attack, you can. Demand letters allow you to present your argument for compensation directly to the party you believe to be liable for your losses.
A demand letter should include evidence you have that establishes the receiver as liable for your losses in addition to a calculation of what compensation you may be entitled to. You can work with a Compton dog bite lawyer to bring this kind of document together and deliver it.
Do note, though, that to receive compensation for your losses using such a form, the receiver must answer your letter. If the receiving party fails to do so, you may need to consider other means through which you might secure compensation. However, if you do receive a response, you can ask a Compton dog bite attorney to represent you throughout the negotiating process.
Going to Court
You also have options available to you if you wish to skip in-person negotiations and go straight to court. To do so, you can work with a dog bite lawyer to fill out a complaint.
Complaints contain much of the same information as demand letters. In them, you can identify the party you believe to be liable for your losses, as well as any evidence you have establishing that fact. In turn, you can also elaborate on your losses in a dog bite accident while providing an estimation of what compensation you may be entitled to.
However, you must also go through the process of proving the following if you want a court to consider your case:
- That the party who owned or otherwise oversaw the dog in question owed you a duty of care
- That the party in question violated that duty of care, resulting in a dog bite
- That the dog bite caused the losses you endured
In proving the above, you can allow your complaint to be viewed and brought forward in court. Do note, though, that the court will likely dismiss any complaint filed outside of California’s statute of limitations, as per Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1.
Settlement Offers
Of course, you may not have to worry about fighting for compensation at all. In some cases, the party you believe to be liable for your losses may offer you a settlement without prompting. In these cases, you can consider whether or not the offered settlement will see you through the medical expenses and pain and suffering that resulted from the attack. If it appears they might not, you can work with a Compton dog bite lawyer to negotiate for more comprehensive coverage or to file one of the above-mentioned documents with the appropriate parties.
For a free legal consultation with a Dog Bites Lawyer serving Compton, call (800) 794-0444
Understanding Why Dogs Bite
As mentioned, to file a complaint or similar document after a dog bite attack, you must establish the duty of care the dog’s owner owed to you and how they violated that duty. In doing so, you have the opportunity to elaborate on why you suffered a dog bite attack.
Dogs do not attack other people without provocation. However, what constitutes provocation in the mind of a dog can be difficult to understand. For example, a dog that has been trained to attack strangers may take your mere presence on a property as a provocation. Alternatively, an overstimulated or abused dog may take petting as provocation for an attack.
Do note that in these cases, the dog itself is not liable for your damages. Rather, the behavior that a dog learns is the responsibility of its owner. As such, you will have the opportunity to hold that party liable for your damages—though you may also have a chance to comment on the conditions that led a dog to attack you and how, based on those conditions, the owner may have contributed to the dog’s state of being.
Compton Dog Bites Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
A Compton Dog Bite Lawyer May Be Able to Help with Your Case
You do not have to determine the details of a potential dog bite case on your own. Instead, you can reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to connect with a dog bite lawyer serving Compton, and together, you can better understand what information you might need to fight for compensation and justice.
Learn More About Your Legal Options with the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm
You do not have to recover from a dog bite injury and fight a legal battle on your own. Instead, you can work with a dog bite lawyer to fight for compensation based on your accident-related losses.
If you wish to speak to someone regarding a dog bite accident, call (800) 816-0755.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
