Don’t struggle with the consequences of a dog bite on your own. Call Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers and ask our Carlsbad dog bite lawyers to help you hold the dog’s owner and other parties responsible for the costs of your medical bills, lost wages, and distress.
For over a decade, Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers has been a trusted advocate for dog bite victims and grieving families in Carlsbad, California. Our award-winning California litigators have 20+ years of experience and have won over $40 million in settlements and jury awards.
Contact our law office serving Carlsbad, CA, to discover how our law firm can help you make things right after a brutal dog attack. Call us at (619) 344-0360 Your first consultation is free. Contact us to get started today.
How Our Carlsbad Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Been Attacked By a Dog
Dog bites can be catastrophic. They can inflict potentially life-threatening wounds that have long-lasting consequences. The trauma of being attacked by a dog can be overwhelming enough on its own and prevent you from enjoying your life the way you once did.
As the victim of a dog bite in California, you have the right to demand accountability from the dog’s owner and anyone else who may have put you in harm’s way. Our Carlsbad personal injury lawyers are here to help you make the most of your fight for compensation
Call our legal team in Carlsbad for help and count on us to:
- Explain your legal rights and options after you’ve been attacked by the dog
- Explore the details of the attack through an in-depth investigation
- Obtain medical records, accident reports, vet records, reports on the dog’s history of aggression, photographs, video footage of the attack, witness statements, and other evidence
- Consult medical specialists, vocational rehabilitation professionals, animal behaviorists, and other experts as we build your case
- Prepare and file legal claims and documents with the insurance company and/or local court on your behalf
- Actively seek a top-dollar settlement during negotiations
- Represent your best interests at trial if you’re not offered a fair settlement
At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we know that dog bites can be costly. You might have exhausted your saving and rainy-day funds to pay for your medical bills and offset a sudden loss of income.
Hiring an attorney shouldn’t add to the financial stress you’re under. That’s why our dog bite attorneys in Carlsbad, California, work on contingency. We only get paid if we secure compensation for your dog bite case.
Contact us to arrange a time for a free, no-obligation case evaluation today.
Does California Have a One-Bite Rule?
Some states have a one-bite rule that applies to dog bite cases. Under the rule, a dog’s owner isn’t automatically liable the first time their dog bites someone unless that dog has a history of aggression.
In other words, the owner gets the first bite for free.
California does not have a one-bite rule. Rather, California is a strict liability state for dog bites.
Strict liability means that the animal’s owner is automatically responsible for injuries or deaths caused by their pet, regardless of the dog’s history. The lengths to which an owner goes to keep their dog from biting someone is irrelevant. Liability attaches automatically.
Who Could Be Liable for a Dog Bite in Carlsbad?
Dog owners in Carlsbad, CA, can be liable if their dog bites anyone. However, they’re not the only party that could potentially be held accountable for a dog bite.
Other parties could also be liable if their negligence contributes to or causes a dog bite.
This might include a:
- Business
- Landlord
- Property owner
- Dog walker
- Pet resort
Many times, liability for dog bites is a matter of premises liability. That occurs when a property owner fails to fulfill their legal responsibility to keep their premises reasonably safe. If an owner knows or should know that a dangerous or aggressive dog is on the premises and does nothing to protect other guests, they could potentially be legally responsible for the resulting damages.
What Do I Have To Prove To Win My Carlsbad Dog Bite Injury Case?
When you file a dog bite claim against a dog’s owner, you’ll have the burden of proving:
- You were bitten or attacked by a dog
- The dog was owned or under the control of the defendant
- You were lawfully on the premises at the time of the attack
- You did not provoke the animal, and
- You’ve suffered damages.
That’s it. You don’t have to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent. However, you can point out ways in which the dog’s owner was negligent in supporting your case. For instance, if you were bitten by a dog who wasn’t leashed, that can go a long way to support your argument.
What Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Carlsbad?
California law provides the opportunity for dog bite victims to seek both economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit.
Economic damages cover the verifiable financial costs associated with your dog bite, which might include:
- Hospitalization, medication, medical devices, surgery, prosthetics, and other current medical bills
- Future medical expenses for reasonably necessary treatment
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
- Disability
- Lost wages and earnings
- Diminished earning capacity
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages help to make up for the difficult-to-value trauma you experience as the victim of a dog bite, such as:
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
Punitive damages may also be awarded if there’s clear and convincing evidence that the dog’s owner (or another party) acted with malice or gross negligence. In other words, the dog’s owner (or other party) might be punished if they instructed the dog to bite you.
What Factors Can Affect the Value of My Dog Bite Settlement?
There is no average settlement or jury award for Carlsbad dog bite injury cases.
Many factors will impact the value of a settlement or jury award, including:
- The specific injuries sustained during the dog attack
- The age of the dog bite victim
- Whether or not the dog bite shortens the victim’s life expectancy
- Changes in the victim’s ability to work and generate an income
- Allegations that the victim provoked the animal
- The psychological and emotional consequences of the dog attack
The higher your medical bills, the more income you lose, and the greater the impact the dog bite has on your life, the more you can expect to recover in an insurance claim or lawsuit.
Our Carlsbad dog bite attorneys will help you work toward maximum financial recovery. Call our law office to set up a time to talk about the details of your dog bite injury case today.
Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries in California
California leads the nation in dog bites. According to State Farm, the insurance company paid $23 million to settle 388 dog bite claims across the nation in 2021.
The multi-million dollar settlements aren’t surprising, given the fact that dog bite injuries have the potential to be catastrophic – especially when children are involved. An estimated two million children are bitten by dogs annually, accounting for half of all dog bite victims nationwide.
At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent clients in dog bite cases who’ve suffered:
- Infections
- Cuts and lacerations
- Puncture wounds
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries
- Eye injury
- Facial injury
- Illness and disease
- Internal organ damage
- Brain injury
- Back injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Nerve damage
- Amputation
- Degloving injury
- Catastrophic injury
- Wrongful death of a family member
Get to the closest hospital in Carlsbad as soon as you can after you’ve been bitten by a dog. Prompt action can help to mitigate your injuries and establish a formal record of your trauma. Once your condition is stable, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our dog bite attorneys in North County San Diego for help.
How Long Will I Have To File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Carlsbad, California?
California’s two-year statute of limitations applies to most dog bite injury lawsuits.
If your child has been bitten by a dog in Carlsbad, they’ll have until their 20th birthday to pursue compensation (unless you file a claim on their behalf).
Once the deadline expires, you will no longer have the right to seek compensation from the dog’s owner or another liable party. As there are exceptions in some circumstances, we recommend that you contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the dog bite attack to preserve your legal rights.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Carlsbad Dog Bite Lawyer
Have you or your child been bitten by a dog in Carlsbad, California? Contact Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers for immediate legal assistance. Our Carlsbad dog bite lawyers are prepared to help you fight for full compensation.
Choose Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers and put a team with 20+ years of experience and a million-dollar track record in your corner.
Your first consultation is free, so reach out to our law office in Carlsbad to schedule yours today.
