If you, or someone you love, got injured by a dog bite in Fort Worth, you might be eligible for compensation from the dog owner.
Pet owners in Texas may be held financially liable if their pets cause injury to others. In many cases, even if the owner was not aware of the pet’s violent tendencies, they may still be held liable. At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we help injured victims take on the responsible parties and their insurance companies to recover compensation.
A Fort Worth dog bite lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may pursue the dog owner and their insurance company after a dog bite attack for compensation for your injuries. In Texas, you may be able to recover economic and noneconomic awards, meaning the dog owner must pay not only for your medical bills, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity, but also for your pain and suffering.
To learn more about our practice, and to receive a free case evaluation, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 816-0755.
We Help You Recover Fair Compensation
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we believe in getting results for our clients. Our goal is to get you the compensation you may be entitled to collect by law. We may determine value to your economic and noneconomic awards to determine what constitutes fair compensation for your losses. That may include money for:
- Medical treatments
- Being out of a job
- Not being able to earn as much
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Funeral and burial expenses (if a loved one died)
A Dog Owner May Have Liability in a Fort Worth Dog Bite Injury Case
Texas dog owners have a duty of care to anyone who might encounter their pet, whether at home or out in public. The owner must protect others to the best of their ability from a bite or attack by their dog. If the dog injures another person, or another pet in some cases, the owner may face civil liability for the damages caused by the attack.
In particular, we may be able to hold a dog owner liable for your injuries from a bite or attack in two situations:
The Dog Has an Aggressive Past
As we investigate your injury, one of our first tasks might be to look into the history of the dog that bit you. If this is the first time the animal has ever bitten someone, you might not be able to recover compensation because of Texas’s one-bite rule.
This means that animals get one free bite before their owners have to pay for the damages.
The Dog Was Unleashed
Even if the dog had no documented history of violence or aggression, it is still the owner’s responsibility to restrain the dog at all times. The owner must keep the dog behind a secure fence at home and on a leash while in public. If you got bit by an off-leash dog, we may be able to hold the owner liable for negligence, regardless of the breed, size, or history of the animal.
If your injury occurred somewhere like a dog park, where animals are allowed to roam free, we may still be able to hold the owner responsible for damages. The fact that dogs are allowed off-leash at dog parks does not absolve the owner of the responsibility to supervise the dog and make sure it does not display aggressive behavior toward others.
To learn more about how the Fort Worth dog bite lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you recover compensation, call our office today for a free case evaluation.
For a free legal consultation with a Fort Worth Dog Bite Lawyer serving Fort Worth, call (800) 816-0755
What Texas Law Says About Dog Bite Injuries
A negligent dog owner whose pet bites or attacks another person in Texas may face both civil and criminal liability for the incident.
Under Texas’ Health and Safety Code § 822.005, pet owners may face criminal liability for animal attacks in a couple of situations. If the owner purposefully sets loose (or “sics”) the dog on a person with the intent of provoking an attack, they may get charged with criminal liability. This may also apply if the owner knows the dog has aggressive tendencies or a history of violence, but in a brazen act of recklessness, they still allow the dog to roam free anyway.
If the dog owner gets criminally charged for the incident, it may help your case. A case may get boosted in a situation where the owner gets convicted in criminal court since the burden of proof for a criminal conviction is much higher than for civil liability. The fact that the case cleared the criminal standard implies that it meets the evidentiary standard for civil liability.
All of that said, we may be able to hold the dog owner liable and help you recover compensation even if they avoid criminal charges. We may collect evidence and show that your injury could have been avoided had the owner behaved with more prudence and care.
Fort Worth Fort Worth Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (800) 816-0755
The Statute of Limitations Affects How Long You Have to File a Lawsuit
The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code sets a statute of limitations on dog bite injury lawsuits in Texas, which is two years, but this deadline may have exceptions. A lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can get to work on your case right away and file a quick lawsuit if needed to keep the statute from expiring.
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Call Now for a Consultation Today
The Fort Worth dog bite lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are eager to get to work for you today. For a free, no-obligation case evaluation, call our office at (800) 816-0755.
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