Being bitten by a dog can be an emotionally and psychologically traumatic experience, even when you do not suffer any serious physical injuries from the attack. However, when someone else’s pet hurts you, you generally have the right to demand financial restitution from the dog’s owner for economic and non-economic losses you will experience because of your injuries.
While state law is typically generous to dog bite victims in California, getting paid fairly for the effects of a dog bite injury without assistance from a seasoned personal injury attorney can still be very tricky. Fortunately, working closely with our capable Fowler dog bite lawyers can help improve your odds of securing a favorable case result without getting tripped up by common legal roadblocks.
How to Hold Someone Liable for a Dog Bite Injury
Under California state law, dog owners generally hold “strict liability” for any injuries their dog causes another person to suffer by biting them. Moreover, the injured victim does not need to prove that the dog owner was “negligent,” just that the defendant was the owner of—or someone otherwise responsible for controlling—the dog at the time of the attack.
It is also worth emphasizing that a dog grabbing a part of someone’s body or clothing with its teeth without breaking the skin still constitutes a “bite” in this context. However, dog owners are not strictly liable for any injury their dog causes through behavior other than biting—for example, jumping on someone and knocking them over. To obtain civil restitution from the owner in this scenario, the injured person must prove that they were negligent.
Additionally, dog owners are not strictly liable for bite injuries sustained by trespassers or those who knew the risk of injury—for instance, by accepting the dog and the dog’s owner as a client in a pet grooming business. A Fowler dog bite attorney could explain how state law governs cases like this in more detail during a private consultation.
What Losses Could Dog Owners Be Liable to Pay For?
A dog owner found liable for injuries their dog causes another person must pay for all past and future losses the victim suffered already and is expected to suffer in the future due to the incident, including:
- All bills for injury-related medical care
- Lost working capacity or income
- Personal property damage or loss
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish and psychological trauma
- Lost enjoyment or quality of life
However, any fault a dog bite victim holds for causing or worsening their own injuries—for example, because they were taunting or provoking the dog that bit them—could significantly reduce their final damage award. A hardworking lawyer in Fowler will fight to prove an injured dog bite victim did not contribute to their injuries.
Contact a Dog Bite Attorney in Fowler Today
As friendly as many dogs can be, the ones who are not trained and socialized properly can be extremely dangerous to other people and animals around them. When you are bitten and injured by someone else’s dog in California, the owner must pay for your medical bills, lost wages, physical pain, psychological suffering, and all other losses you face because of your harm.
Our Fowler dog bite lawyers’ support can make a big difference in your ability to achieve a favorable result from this sort of case. Call our compassionate legal team members today to schedule a meeting.
