Put simply, injuries can get expensive. If you were not at fault for your injuries or your child’s injuries, it is unfair for you to pay related expenses on your own. At Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook, we believe the responsible party should be required to absorb the cost, as well as pay for any other compensation you or your child is entitled to under the law, and we are here to help make sure that happens.
Call (925) 275-5592 to speak to a dog bite attorney in Walnut Creek today.
CALIFORNIA LAWS & LIABILITY FOR DOG BITES
Sometimes dog bites are more than a playful nip. What can you do if your child is bitten by a dog while playing outside or spending time at a friend’s house? The answer isn’t always clear, but our Walnut Creek personal injury lawyers are here to clear it up for you.
In the state of California, there are laws specifically geared toward dog bites. California Civil Code § 3342 outlines the state’s strict liability approach to dog-bite injuries, which almost always makes dog owners responsible for damages inflicted by their pets.
Unlike other states, it doesn’t matter (legally speaking) if a dog owner had ever witnessed their pet’s vicious behavior or had reason to suspect it might bite someone. However, it does matter a great deal where the bite occurred. In order for an owner to be considered liable for your child’s dog-bite injuries, the bite must have occurred in a public place or in a private place that your child was lawfully permitted to enter (such as a friend’s home, a playground, etc.)
Your child may also be able to recover damages for injuries not necessarily caused by biting, such as injuries resulting from being knocked over or otherwise injured by an excitable dog under traditional negligence principles.
RECOVERABLE DAMAGES IN DOG BITE CASES
If your child has sustained any injury from a dog bite, you may incur various expenses, including:
- Hospital bills
- Emergency room costs
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Pain, suffering, and emotional suffering
- Medication and other medical treatments
- Future medical care, such as scar revisions
When a dog owner fails to properly restrain their pet, they can be held legally responsible for the resulting harm. You don’t have to take on the additional expense on your own. Take advantage of the legal options available to you and involve a personal injury attorney right away.
DOG BITE ATTORNEYS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
At Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook, we have built our entire practice (and for many of us, our entire legal careers) around serving injured people and their loved ones—including kids. If your child has been hurt by an aggressive, excitable, or improperly restrained pet, it is important that you hold the owner responsible for the damage in order to recover compensation for all the harm that was inflicted. Contact us online today to schedule your free consultation with a Bay Area dog bite lawyer.