A dog bite can lead to serious injuries and complications, including infection, disfigurement, and scarring. It could take many months of medical treatments and therapies to treat. If you or a loved one has been injured by a severe dog bite, you can contact a Los Angeles Averill Park dog bite lawyer to ensure that you know about your legal options to seek compensation for your injuries. You do not necessarily need to come up with the money to cover your own expenses, if the injury occurred from someone else’s dog.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm today at (800) 816-0755 to schedule a free consultation to speak with a member of our team. We can review the details of your potential case to see what options are available to you to seek compensation. The initial consultation is free, and you can ask whatever questions you may have about the legal process.
Types of Dog Bite Injuries
Some dog bites are so minor that the teeth do not break the skin. Sometimes these are referred to as warning bites. However, there are many more serious dog bite injuries to worry about, such as:
- Puncture wounds
- Bone fractures
- Neck injuries
- Facial scarring
- Infections
- PTSD
This is not a comprehensive list of every type of dog bite injury that is possible. There are many other types of dog bite injuries that you could suffer, as well as secondary injuries that could need additional medical care. According to the Scientific World Journal, bites to the hand are the most common and often lead to subsequent infections that require antibiotics to treat.
Severity of Injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that dogs can carry harmful germs that can cause minor to severe illnesses. One of the most common but severe side effects of a dog bite is an infection. However, some dog bites are not as severe. You may need stitches to close an open wound or to simply rest and ice the areas.
There are some very severe, life-changing injuries possible from dog bites that have the potential to permanently change the way a person lives. You could need a limb amputated after severe bone damage from a strong dog’s bite or have permanent facial scarring and disfigurement. These injuries could change the type of work you can do and your physical appearance forever.
For a free legal consultation with a Averill Park Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 816-0755
Common Dog Bite Expenses
A dog bite can actually be fairly expensive to treat. You should seek immediate medical treatment for any dog bite that breaks the skin or damages your bones. Many dog bites become infected, as there is a lot of bacteria found in the mouth of the dog. If you seek medical attention at the hospital for the initial dog bite and any complications occur, you may be looking at two or more hospital bills to pay. If you require surgery or orthopedic intervention for a broken bone, you can expect a much higher bill.
In addition, some people who experience a significant dog bite injury could be fearful of dogs or experience the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This can create additional expenses in the forms of on therapy that you would not have needed had you not suffered from a dog bite. These expenses can add up and hinder your overall financial health.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law firm to discuss how a Los Angeles Averill Park dog bite lawyer can assist you in recovering the compensation you deserve.
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Possibly Recoverable Compensation
Over the course of a civil personal injury lawsuit, you could potentially recover money to help pay for some of the expenses caused by your dog bite injury. This includes:
- Hospital bills
- Other medical expenses
- Prosthetics
- Surgeries
- Trauma
- Therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
This list represents just some of the types of recoverable compensation that could be possible. However, what you could expect depends on what happened and the extent of your injuries.
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Seeking Legal Action
Calling the office of a Los Angeles Averill Park dog bite lawyer can be the first step in starting the process of filing a lawsuit against the dog’s owner. We can discuss your options and help you determine who is liable. While the dog’s owner is often a person, you can also become injured by a dog owned by a business or organization, such as a police dog, or if a business that works with dogs, such as a mobile groomer or doggie daycare, fails to secure dogs in its care. In these cases, you could hold the business or government agency responsible.
According to California Statute § 335.1, you have two years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit against the owner of the dog that bit you. This statute of limitations applies to all personal injury cases in the state of California. It is generally a good idea to start the legal process as soon as possible. If you suffered a dog bite at a dog park, the person who owns the dog may move over the course of the two years indicated by the statutes of limitations. Their contact information is likely to remain the same the sooner you start the legal process. The same is true for gathering evidence and witness testimony relative to what happened. People are simply more likely to remember something that just happened than something that happened a few years ago. However, if you have not yet started the legal process and it has been more than a year, it is not too late to start. Just be sure to contact a dog bite lawyer as soon as possible to see what your options are.
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Contact Us Today
After a dog bite injury, seeking appropriate medical attention should be your first priority. Then, it might be time to hold the dog owner responsible for what happened. Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 816-0755 to speak with a member of our legal team. We can answer any questions you may have about possible compensation and the next steps in the legal process. There is no cost for the initial consultation.
Call or text (800) 816-0755 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form