Thousands of people, including many small children, suffer dog bite injuries every day. Recent studies suggest that more of these dog bites occur in California than any other state in the country. When you suffer a dog bite injury, your life can be changed forever. You don’t have to deal with the consequences on your own. The dog’s owner should be held fully responsible for your injuries.
Have you suffered a dog bite injury in Bakersfield? You may have the right to obtain compensation. The experienced personal injury lawyers at Bakersfield Personal Injury Law can help you assert your legal rights. Contact our office to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment today.
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How Our Bakersfield Dog Bite Attorneys Can Help
Dog bites can cause severe, life-threatening injuries. It can take a lot of time to recover and get back on your feet. Filing a personal injury lawsuit can help you recover the money you need and deserve during this difficult time. However, dog bite cases can be complicated and time-consuming. The last thing you need to do is try to navigate a lawsuit on your own. Hiring an attorney will put you in the best position to maximize your financial award.
At Bakersfield Personal Injury Law, our attorneys will be your biggest advocates. Here’s why you should call us for help immediately after you suffer a dog bite injury.
Insurance Companies Don’t Want You to Hire an Attorney. They know you’re more likely to obtain a fair settlement when you let an attorney handle your case. At Bakersfield Personal Injury Law, we know how to approach your lawsuit and leverage the best possible outcome.
You’ll Be Blamed For Your Injuries. Dog owners will say you provoked the dog and blame you for your own injuries. If they’re successful, you could be barred from recovering the money you need. Our attorney will gather the evidence necessary to defeat these baseless claims.
You May Not Know What Your Case is Worth. Valuing your dog bite lawsuit can be difficult on your own. You may not know what your case is worth and end up accepting an offer that’s much less than you deserve. Our attorneys consult with some of the best injury, financial, and medical experts in California. We’ll make sure that we identify your damages and know how much they’re worth.
Contact our experienced legal team today. We will fight to hold owners responsible for the actions of their dogs. With our help, you can successfully obtain the compensation you need and deserve.
Dog Bite Injuries
Dogs have incredibly powerful jaws and can do a lot of damage. Approximately 1,000 people are hospitalized every day because of a severe dog bite injury, including:
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue damage
- Crushing injuries
- Head injuries
- Spinal cord damage
- Amputation
- Paralysis, and
- Wrongful death.
Have you been injured in a Bakersfield dog bite attack? Call Bakersfield Personal Injury Law for help with your legal case. No injury is too big or too small. We’re here to help you get the money you deserve.
Liability for Dog Bites in Bakersfield
In California, an owner is strictly liable for injuries and harm caused by their dog. Strict liability means that you don’t have to prove that the owner was negligent or knew that the dog was likely to be vicious. Instead, you simply have to show that you were bitten by the owner’s dog and suffered an injury.
Does California Have a One Bite Rule?
No. A one-bite rule protects dog owners from liability for a dog bite if their dog had not bitten anyone before. In states that embrace the one-bite rule, dog owners are only liable for injuries once they know that their dog has a history of viciousness.
California doesn’t have a one-bite rule. Instead, an owner is liable for any injuries inflicted by a dog bite, regardless of the dog’s past. However, owners who do know that their dogs have a vicious past have to take additional steps to prevent future bites and attacks.
Does California’s Dog Bite Law Apply to Other Attacks?
No. California’s dog bite statute only applied to injuries that are suffered because of a dog bite. Injuries caused by other behaviors, such as scratching or kicking, would not be covered. However, you may have the right to file an injury lawsuit on the grounds that the dog’s owner was negligent in allowing them to attack you.
An attorney will be able to help you understand your legal rights and options. Call Bakersfield Personal Injury Law to request a free consultation today.
Exceptions to Dog Bite Liability
Generally speaking, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries sustained because of a dog bite. However, there are certain exceptions, as stated in California’s Code of Civil Procedure Section 3342, that can limit an owner’s personal liability.
Provocation: You lose your right to recover compensation for a dog bite if you provoked, harassed, or annoyed the dog prior to the attack. Examples of provocation include:
- Hitting or striking the dog
- Taunting the dog with food
- Throwing objects at the dog, and
- Pulling on the dog’s ears, tail, or fur.
Trespassing: You only have the right to recover compensation for a dog bite if the attack occurred while you were lawfully on public or private property. Owners are not responsible for dog bite injuries suffered by trespassers.
Police Dogs: Some dogs are specifically trained to enforce civil and military laws. Owners will generally not be liable for bites inflicted by police or military dogs in the line of duty.
Self-Defense: Dogs often feel a sense of loyalty to their owners. Many dogs will do whatever they can to protect their owners if a threat exists. Owners might not be liable for a dog bite if the dog was acting in self-defense of the owner or another person.
Children and Dog Bite Liability in Bakersfield
Every year, 800,000 people suffer a dog bite injury. Approximately half of these victims are young children. Since children tend to be relatively short, most of their dog bite injuries tend to affect the neck and head. Evidence suggests that kids between the ages of 5 and 9 are most likely to be bitten by a dog.
Children often suffer dog bites because they don’t have the ability to fully understand and appreciate the consequences of their actions. For example, a child may not realize that pulling on a dog’s tail or taking its food away would make it angry. Instead, the child simply thinks that they are playing and exploring.
California law acknowledges that children may not be able to understand their actions. If a child provokes a dog, the traditional exception may not apply. Dog owners may be liable for dog bite injuries sustained by a child.
Damages Available to Bakersfield Dog Bite Victims
A dog bite can inflict severe physical, psychological, and financial suffering. You don’t have to shoulder the costs of your injuries on your own. The dog’s owner can be held personally responsible for your damages.
You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including hospitalization, corrective surgery, and more
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
Punitive damages may be available if the dog’s owner intentionally directed the dog to attack and bite you.
Our Bakersfield dog bite attorneys can help you maximize your financial award. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation. We’ll review your case and explain your legal rights.
Statute of Limitations for Bakersfield Dog Bite Injury Cases
It’s important to act quickly if you’ve suffered a dog bite injury in Bakersfield. California state law limited the amount of time you have to file a personal injury claim. In most cases, the statute of limitations will be two years from the date you are injured.
You may have additional time to file your claim if:
- The dog’s owner cannot be located, or
- The victim was under the age of 18 at the time of the bite.
You can lose your right to recover compensation if you don’t file your claim before the statute of limitations expires.
Protect your right to file a lawsuit by contacting Bakersfield Personal Injury Law as soon as you can after your dog bite attack. We will get started on your case right away. Call our law firm today to learn more.
Need Help?
Have you or someone you love suffered a dog bite injury in Bakersfield? You may have the right to obtain compensation from the dog’s owner. The attorneys at Bakersfield Personal Injury Law can help ensure that you receive a fair and reasonable settlement. Contact our Bakersfield office today to schedule a free, no-obligation case assessment. You have a limited amount of time to file a claim, so do not hesitate to call for help today.