Strange, vicious dogs can bite, scratch, and wound a person in unprovoked attacks that will likely leave a traumatic impression on anyone, from a child to a grown-up.
Bites can occur suddenly, without any notice. However, you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses.
First, you should get to a doctor or hospital to check out the bites and wounds and make sure the dog did not give you an infection. Next, you can contact a personal injury law firm to describe what happened and see if there’s any chance to get financial compensation for the injuries brought forth by the dog.
If you live in California and want legal input about such an incident, then reach out to Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to see if a Covina dog bite lawyer can help you. We can work with you to determine whether you have a claim and fight for your right to justice for these injuries. Contact the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm office at (800) 816-0755 to discuss your accident with our team.
Liability Laws for Dog Owners
Being a dog owner in California brings with it a great responsibility to manage and control your dog. The state has put forth tough rules for dog owners, imposing penalties on the owners if the dogs harm and injure people.
The California Civil Code (CIV) §3342 makes note that dog owners will be held accountable for the actions of their dog biting, attacking, or even pulling the skin in any situation. This injury could happen in a public place like a restaurant patio or in a private place (someone’s backyard party, for instance). The law doesn’t differentiate between any prior behavior by the dog. The dog’s owner is not off the hook if the dog has never exhibited any such behavior in the past.
So, in the case of any type of dog attack, the dog owner is the one held accountable for serious injuries caused by the dog. The law is also clear that this applies to any unprovoked attack. Dog bite accidents can happen when the dog is on a leash or is unleashed.
Dangerous or Vicious Dogs
If the dog in question had previous biting behaviors that the dog owner concealed in the past, that dog might be considered a ‘dangerous’ or ‘vicious’ dog. In these cases, the dog owner’s accountability would still be called to question, and this might help you in your case to prove negligence.
Dangerous trauma can occur when someone is injured in a dog attack. A person might suffer deep teeth wounds in the skin, slight skin punctures, or just minor gashes from the edges of the teeth. In any of these bites, bleeding would occur, and there is always the threat of infection and possible rabies as well. In extreme instances, some people may suffer cases of shock, too, and cases like these have led to fatalities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five dog bite victims needs emergency medical attention. Even if you don’t think your bite is that bad, rabies symptoms can lay dormant for days or even weeks after the attack—and once you start showing signs, it’s almost always too late.
A bite or clawing from a dog can produce multiple injuries to an adult, and for a child could result in death.
If you did not provoke the dog to bite or attack, you should contact the police to file a report. Once that is done, you should then contact the office of a Covina dog bite lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Dog bite injuries are worth fighting for compensation in California. We will support you in your fight to seek compensation to pay for your injuries.
For a free legal consultation with a Dog Bite Lawyer serving Covina, call (800) 794-0444
Statute of Limitations
Under California law, there is a statute of limitations for filing a personal injury case against the owner of a dog that bit you. The statute calls for any personal injury cases to be filed within two years of the incident, according to the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) §335.1. The date of the police report or medical report showing bite wounds would serve as the notice of record for the time limit.
However, if you miss this deadline, any personal injury claims for damages that you might seek could vanish. The courts might not recognize your case any longer than what was allowed under the statute of limitations.
Covina Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Work with a Personal Injury Attorney
Dog bites and dog attacks from dangerous or vicious dogs can be terrible accidents for a person. Dog attacks can bring long-lasting trauma for any person, young or old.
The right step to take is to seek out the services of an attorney in California who has worked with dog bite injury cases. The attorney you choose should know how the dog bite laws in California impact your case and what circumstances are more in your favor from the biting attack.
To try to seek financial recovery, reach out to the office of a Covina dog bite lawyer to help you understand the full extent of your injuries, the long term implications, and how to seek a fair financial settlement.
It’s important to the overall legal process in California to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the dog owner. Work with the Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. With more than 35 years of experience in dealing with civil lawsuits, we can work with you to try to point your case in a favorable direction. Call a member of our team at (800) 816-0755.
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