If a dog bite in Austin, Texas, caused you an injury, you might be eligible for monetary compensation from the owner of the animal and their homeowners’ insurance company. Under Texas law, pet owners have strict responsibility for the actions of their animals. If a dog attacks or bites someone and injures them, the owner may be held responsible for both the economic and noneconomic damages that result from the injury, including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The Austin dog bite lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to hold the dog owner liable and help you recover compensation. We have worked with personal injury victims in Texas to fight for their rights. We want to put it to work for you so that you can move forward with your life. As our client, you do not have to pay anything upfront or out of pocket until you agree to a settlement that is offered.
To get started today with a free consultation with a member of the Pintas & Mullins team, call our office at (800) 816-0755.
Dog Owners Are Responsible for Bite Injuries
Under Texas law, dog owners have a duty of care to others when it comes to protecting people from possible attacks or bites by their pets. When a dog bites, the owner might be held liable for any injuries that occur, as the bite itself is often evidence of a breach of the owner’s duty of care.
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our Austin dog bite lawyers’ job is to make the case that your dog bite injury resulted from negligence on the part of the animal’s owner. We may demonstrate this negligence by showing evidence of one or both of two facts:
The Owner Failed to Properly Restrain the Animal
Even if the dog had never bitten anyone or displayed aggression of any kind, it is still the owner’s duty under Texas law to keep the animal properly restrained at all times. At home, dogs should remain inside or within the confines of a securely fenced yard. While out on walks or at the park, the dog must remain on a leash secured by the owner except at designated places, such as dog parks, where animals have free reign.
If the dog that bit you was not secured or on a leash, we may use its lack of restraint as evidence of negligence on the part of the owner.
The Animal Had Past Aggressive Behavior
If the dog that bit you bit others in the past or displayed aggressive behavior, that places an additional burden on the owner to protect others from the animal. By allowing the dog to get close enough to you to bite you, knowing that the animal had aggressive tendencies, the owner breached their duty of care to you.
We may look into the dog’s history and collect all evidence we can find of past aggressions or bites. We may also use this information to show that the owner knew of the dog’s temperament and still failed to protect you from it.
You May Have a Right to Compensation as a Victim
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you recover compensation for your losses related to your injuries. We might be able to hold either the negligent party or their insurance company accountable. You might be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Hospital bills
- Medical transportation bills
- Prescription costs
- Medical device costs
- Surgery expenses
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
For a free legal consultation with a Austin Dog Bite Lawyer serving Austin, call (800) 816-0755
Know the Difference Between Criminal and Civil Liability
Under Texas Health and Safety Code § 822.005, dog owners may get charged with criminal offenses in certain situations where their animals attack others. Dog owners who purposefully provoke their dog to attack another person may get charged with a felony. If the attack causes death, they may get charged with a felony of the second degree or higher, depending on the nature of the case. However, even if the owner did not order an attack by the dog, they might still be held liable for criminal negligence for letting a dog with known aggressive tendencies roam free.
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, our job is not to pursue criminal charges against the owner of the dog that bit you, but to hold them financially liable in civil court for your injuries. If the owner is criminally charged or convicted, it may help our case, as the evidentiary standard is even higher in criminal court than in civil court. Still, if the owner escapes a criminal conviction or an arrest, it does not preclude them from facing civil liability.
Austin Austin Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (800) 816-0755
You Have a Responsibility to File within the Statute of Limitations
The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003 sets a statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits, including dog bite claims. The statute of limitations is typically two years, but this may vary based on a number of factors. If your case has any unique circumstances, the time limit might be longer or shorter.
A dog bite attorney from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may evaluate your case and go over all deadlines that might apply to your case. If any deadlines are coming up, we may file a quick lawsuit so that your case does not get time-barred, resulting in the loss of ability to recover compensation.
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Call Now for a Free Case Evaluation with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm
The Austin dog bite lawyers are eager to get to work on your case today. If you were injured because someone else’s dog bit or attacked you, we may be able to help you go after that party and their insurance company for the compensation you may be entitled to collect. Our attorneys never charge a fee until our clients get paid, so we want to get started on your case right away. To move forward with your free case evaluation, call us at (800) 816-0755.
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