Suffering from a Dog Bite? There are Legal Remedies for Your Personal Injury
If you live in California, and specifically Los Angeles, you live in a city and/or state with one of the highest populations of dog owners in the entire world. With so many dogs in private homes, and public spaces, it is inevitable that you will have some kind of interaction with a dog if you are not a dog owner already. While dogs make for wonderful pets and have certainly earned the moniker of “man’s best friend,” unfortunate incidents can occur with dogs, including dog bites. Dog bites are not only painful, in rare instances they can even be deadly, depending on the extent of the bite and where the bite was given on the body. Torn and cut flesh, blood loss, and even diseases like rabies can result from a dog bite. Whether you are a victim of a dog bite, or even the owner of a dog who has attacked someone else, it is important to understand your rights under California Law. Attorneys with an understanding of dog bite law and personal injury law are the best ones to consult on these matters. If you have suffered from a dog bite, educate yourself on the issues involved, the laws which apply, and then make sure you contact California Attorney Group to address your concerns, and represent your rights.
California operates under what is known as a “strict liability” statute with regard to dog bites. That means that an owner of a dog who bites you or attacks you is liable for any injuries incurred and any damages owed. Now, if you are familiar with the legal concept of negligence, typically a victim of an action which causes personal injury is only able to collect damages if the perpetrator of the action owed a duty of care to the victim, that duty was breached, and the breach of that duty was the direct cause of any resulting injury. If all of those criteria are met, the perpetrator is negligent. Strict liability, on the other hand, does not require negligence for liability to attach. Once the dog bite happens, whether the owner knew the dog had a propensity for biting or not, and if this is the dog’s first bite or attack does not matter. The owner is liable for your pain and suffering. Keep in mind that this applies only to the owner, not to the person who was taking care of or handling the dog at the time of the bite. Such an individual would only be liable if they had what is known as scienter- previous knowledge- of the dog’s propensity to bite or attack.
If you have suffered a dog bite, you deserve compensation for your personal injury, and any resulting damages therefrom. Make sure you have the right attorney representing you who understands how to handle these dog bite personal injury cases. You deserve the best, so choose the best. Contact California Attorney Group as soon as possible, and determine what damages are owed to you today.
