Dog bites can cause serious injuries. If you’ve been bitten by a dog in Encinitas, CA, you shouldn’t hesitate to seek legal advice.
An Encinitas dog bite lawyer at Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers can help you recover money. This money will go towards medical expenses, lost wages, and emotional trauma caused by the attack.
We have over 20 years of experience practicing personal injury law, including dog bite cases in Encinitas, California. Our team is prepared to take on your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Call our law firm to schedule a free consultation today at (619) 344-0360 with our Encinitas dog bite attorney.
How Can Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me After a Dog Bite In Encinitas, CA?
Dog bites happen quickly. Many people aren’t prepared for the aftermath and aren’t quite sure about their rights in Encinitas, California.
Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers can explain your legal options and give you advice on the best way to proceed. Furthermore, we can help you recover full compensation. Since 2012, we have won over $40 million for our injured clients – including dog bite victims.
When you hire our Encinitas personal injury attorneys to handle your case, we will:
- Calculate your damages
- Provide legal advice
- Identify who is responsible for the dog bite
- File an insurance claim (if applicable)
- Review your medical records
- Consult with experts
- File a personal injury lawsuit and represent you at trial
Additionally, our Encinitas dog bite lawyers will protect you from unfair blame for the bite. This is a common tactic that a defendant will use to get out of paying what you deserve.
Call our office to schedule a free consultation and learn more about our team and your case.
What Is My Dog Bite Case Worth?
One of the first steps in an Encinitas dog bite case is to calculate the case’s value. This gives us an amount to request from the insurance company or directly from the defendant. It also helps us analyze settlement offers to see if they are fair or less than you deserve.
Your dog bite case will be worth the total of your damages. In general, people who have more serious injuries will have a higher case value.
Some questions to consider are:
- Do you have long-lasting or permanent injuries?
- Have you undergone significant medical treatment?
- Are you expected to receive ongoing medical treatment or rehabilitation?
- Do you have outstanding medical bills?
- Have you experienced emotional trauma because of the attack?
- Are you unable to enjoy the same activities or quality of life because of your injuries?
- Did you miss work, or are you unable to work because of your injuries?
- Are you unable to progress in your chosen line of work in the future because of the injuries?
Your Encinitas dog bite lawyer will likely ask you similar questions during your first meeting. It is helpful to think about these types of questions beforehand to be prepared.
Who Is Responsible for My Injuries After a Dog Bite In Encinitas?
In general, Encinitas dog owners are strictly liable for any injuries caused by their dogs. This means that they have to pay up even if they took precautions to try to prevent a bite. It also means that they are responsible regardless of whether or not the dog has been aggressive in the past.
In addition to the dog’s owner, other parties may be responsible under a negligence theory, including:
- A pet sitter or dog walker
- A veterinarian
- Landlords
- Business owners
- Property owners
- Property management companies
- The government
Ultimately, it will depend on the specifics of the attack, including where and how it happened. A lawyer will help you identify everyone who could be held responsible for the bite. This is the best way to make sure that you recover the full amount of damages.
What Happens To a Dog After It Bites Someone In Encinitas?
After a dog bite is reported, there is an investigation process. Depending on the result of the investigation, the dog may be labeled as either a public nuisance animal or a dangerous dog.
A public nuisance animal is a dog that has repeatedly violated the laws (such as the leash law), inconvenienced the community, or hurt or killed another animal. This is rarely a dog that has bitten a human unless it was a very minor bite. Usually, those dogs are declared potentially dangerous.
A potentially dangerous dog is a dog that has caused people to take defensive action twice within 36 months, bites someone, or kills or bites an animal twice in 36 months. Dangerous dog owners may be required to get an insurance policy for their dog, use certain types of restraints or muzzles, or take other steps to protect the community from the dog. In serious cases, the dog may be euthanized.
We Can Help You Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
We can help you recover money regardless of the type of injuries that you have experienced.
Some of the most common types of injuries resulting from dog bites are:
- Puncture wounds
- Facial injuries
- Loss of eyesight
- Scarring
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Hand injuries
Many people who are bitten by dogs also suffer from subsequent diseases and infections. This
can be more severe than the injury itself, and you are entitled to recoup the treatment costs.
Common diseases and infections are:
- Tetanus
- Rabies
- Staph infection
- Sepsis
- Meningitis
- Capnocytophaga bacterial infection
Whether you have a catastrophic injury or a minor injury, Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers can help you get compensation.
Should I Report a Dog Bite In Encinitas, California?
You should always report a dog bite to the County Department of Animal Services. By law, the dog may be quarantined for 10 days. This quarantine ensures that the dog does not have rabies or any other health issues that may complicate your bite injury.
Furthermore, reporting the dog bite can help your personal injury case by creating a record of the attack. It also starts the process of declaring a dog a public nuisance or dangerous dog. This designation can force the owner to take certain precautions while handling the dog to prevent future bites.
What Happens if I Am Blamed for the Dog Bite?
Unfortunately, it is very common for a plaintiff to get blamed for causing a dog bite. Usually, the defendant will claim that the plaintiff provoked the dog and caused the attack.
To prove provocation, the defendant must show that the plaintiff did something to provoke the dog. The behavior must have been so extreme that it would provoke any dog, not just the dog in question. For example, hitting or kicking the dog may be considered a provocation.
If the defendant proves that you provoked the dog, they may still be held responsible if the dog’s response was disproportionate. For example, if you accidentally stepped on a dog’s tail, but the dog repeatedly bit you, this response might have been disproportionate.
Furthermore, under comparative fault law, you can still recover damages even if you are partially responsible for the attack. However, your damages are reduced by your percentage share of responsibility. So, for example, if you are 30% responsible for the dog bite, you can only recover 70% of your damages.
What Damages Are Available for Dog Bite Victims In Encinitas?
You can recover economic damages and non-economic damages after getting bitten by a dog in Encinitas.
Economic damages are financial losses. These losses are easy to calculate and directly result from an injury.
Common economic damages include:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Surgeries
- Follow-up doctor’s visits
- Rehabilitation or physical therapy
- Medicine
- Therapeutic medical devices (like a wheelchair)
- Lost wages (past and future)
- Lost future earning capacity
On the other hand, non-economic damages are emotional losses. These losses are intangible and harder to calculate. However, they can make up a significant portion of your ultimate compensation.
We regularly request non-economic damages for:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental or emotional trauma
- Mental illness (for example, anxiety, PTSD, or depression)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent scarring
- Inconvenience
In rare dog bite cases, a victim can ask for punitive damages. Punitive damages punish a defendant for bad behavior that is more than mere negligence. The purpose is to deter similar behavior in the future.
Punitive damages are only awarded if the plaintiff can prove that the defendant acted with:
- Malice
- Oppression
- Fraud
The plaintiff must prove this by clear and convincing evidence, which is a higher burden of proof than required to prove economic and non-economic damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in California?
In California, you typically have two years to bring a personal injury case. If you fail to file your lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, you can be barred from recovering damages.
Contact an Encinitas Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
There’s no downside in contacting an Encinitas dog bite lawyer to schedule a free consultation. Consulting with a dog bite attorney may be one of the best decisions that you make. It can be the difference between getting compensated or leaving empty-handed.
The attorneys at Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers charge a contingency fee. That means you won’t pay us unless and until we win your case. Call us to schedule a free consultation and get started on your legal action today in Encinitas, CA.
