DOG BITE ATTORNEY

Laws pertaining to dog bites and their owners vary by state. In California a dog owner can be held responsible even if there is no proof that the owner was negligent. Under section 3342 of the California Civil Code, the owner of the dog will be held liable for any damages sustained by the victim of a dog bite as long as the victim was lawfully on public or private property, regardless of if the dog has a history of violent behavior or not.

In California the owner of the dog is liable for any damages sustained by a property or by the victim as long as the victim was legally on private or public property. In this case the “owner” is referring to whoever is in charge of the dog at the time of the incident such as if the animal was being boarded and got out et cetera. If a minor was in charge of the dog, that child’s parents will be held responsible. Alternatively a landlord may be held responsible if they were aware of the dog living on the premises but did nothing to prevent any attacks that could have been avoided. The only exception to this rule is if a dog was performing military or police work and bit someone while in the line of duty. 

Who pays after a dog bite will depend on the circumstances. Many people don’t seek legal action after a dog bite because they don’t want to put the owner through any financial hardship, and this is especially the case when the dog belongs to their friend or family. A Los Angeles dog bite attorney will tell you:

• What many people don’t know is that if the incident occurred on the dog owners premises, their homeowners insurance will usually cover dog bites because technically, a pet is property. 
• When a dog bite occurs when a dog is sitting in a car or vehicle, the car insurance of the dog owner will cover that claim. 
• If the pet owner has taken out a policy specifically for dog bites, then they should be covered by that policy and it will cover the expenses of the attack. 
• If the owner of the pet does not have any insurance, then they are held responsible for the damages. 
• Alternatively if the victim is trespassing on private property at the time of the bite, then they are not entitled to any financial help from the owner.
• One defense commonly accepted is that if the victim was provoking the dog then they can be held partially responsible and can share in the fault resulting in a reduction in financial compensation. 

The statute of limitations for a dog bite is referring to the amount of time you have to file your claim before you can no longer take legal action against the party responsible. For dog bites in California the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the attack. If you or someone you know has been bitten by a dog, call the best dog bite lawyer in Los Angeles at Point Law Group for your free consultation at (310) 560-0606.

Dog bite injuries include but are not limited to:

• Muscle injuries or injured ligaments
• Broken bones
• Lacerations, scrapes, cuts, etc
• Evisceration
• Puncture wounds
• Facial injuries
• Degloving
• Nerve damage
• Eye injuries
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement 
• Diseases or infections
• Emotional injuries
• Distress
• Developing a fear of dogs
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Wrongful death

If you have been involved in a dog bite incident or know someone who has and want to see what legal action you can take, don’t wait, and call the best dog bite lawyer in Los Angeles at (310) 560-0606 for your free consultation with Point Law Group.