San Diego Dog Bite Attorney
Hundreds of people seek medical treatment for dog bite injuries every day, including broken bones, puncture and tear wounds (common in hands and fingers), muscle tissue damage, and facial scarring and disfigurement, which may require costly reconstructive or cosmetic surgery. Dog bites and animal attacks can also cause significant emotional distress. Frequently, dog bite victims are young children (dog bites account for the second most common reason for childhood emergency room visits). For parents, witnessing an animal attack their child can also be extremely traumatic.
Who Is Responsible for an Animal Attack in California?
In California, the law is simple: the owner of a dog is responsible for damages suffered by anyone bitten by their animal. Many dog bite victims are hesitant to pursue a lawsuit because they know the owner of the dog. However, injuries from dog bite claims are frequently covered by a dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy, which may cover all injury related expenses and pain and suffering, with very little financial impact on the pet owner. According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bite injury claims cost more than a half of a billion dollars a year, and account for more than one-third of all homeowners’ insurance liability claims. Damages awarded in a dog bite lawsuit may include:
- Medical and dental expenses (including plastic surgery)
- Past and future loss of earnings
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of future enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Additional related expenses allowed under CA law.
To find out if you may have a case, it is important to speak with a lawyer. To preserve evidence important to your claim, ideally you should contact an attorney before providing a statement to an insurance investigator or representative.
Experienced Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
Attorney Jim Brown has extensive experience litigating dog bite injury and animal attack claims in San Diego, and is frequently asked by other attorneys in the legal community for assistance with their dog bite cases. Having handled so many dog bite cases over the years, Jim understands common defense strategies that might be brought by a dog owner, including trespassing onto a property, provoking a dog into attacking, and assuming the risk or recognizing a dangerous animal and entering a property anyway. Unlike many attorneys who settle cases, Jim has taken dog bite cases to trial. His success in the courtroom has earned him a reputation as a skilled litigator and a compassionate advocate for dog bite victims.
Find Out if You have a Case
Personal injury claims for dog bites can be lengthy cases, as dog bite injuries take time to heal, and settlement negotiations may be delayed by the healing process. However, it is important to preserve evidence and document injuries as soon as possible. If you or a member of your family has been bitten by a dog, contact the law office of Jim Brown for a free consultation and review of your potential case. Because a statute of limitations puts strict time limits on the amount of time you have to pursue a claim, do not delay in contacting a lawyer as soon as practical.