If you were attacked and injured by a dog, then you’re likely wondering if someone should be held responsible for your medical costs, missed work, pain and suffering, etc. The truth is that not every dog bite results in a dog bite personal injury case. If you think you may have a case, the best thing to do is to reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free case evaluation. Otherwise, read on to learn more about general requirements for a case.
First and foremost: Report the dog bite
Of course, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. Remember that even a relatively minor-seeming dog bite can be significant if the dog is rabid or if the bite becomes infected. Don’t assume that it’s minor. Go to the doctor and have it checked out. Once you’re safe, you want to contact the police to file a report and then contact Animal Control. When you’ve done all that, then it’s time to call a personal injury attorney so you can file a claim and get the compensation you deserve.
You must be able to prove that the owner was liable
The good news is that California is not what’s known as a “one-bite” state. A one-bite state is one in which a dog basically gets one bite free of charge. Essentially, this rule is in place because some states believe that a requirement of liability is that the owner of the dog knew that it was capable of biting.
In California, the law takes a different approach. Here, anyone who takes on responsibility for a dog is taking on the risk as well. All you have to prove is that the defendant owned the dog, that you were bitten while either on public property or while legally on private property, and that the injury was caused by the dog bite.
We will decide how much money to ask for
This depends on a number of factors, including how serious your injuries are. Typically, the courts will figure in your past, present, and future estimated medical bills, your lost wages, and your pain and suffering. When you work with Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we can assess your case to make sure we’re asking the defendant for everything needed to cover your costs.
Your case could be over quickly or it could take years
We want to be upfront that in most cases, there isn’t a fast resolution. In some cases, the defendant’s insurance company will be willing to negotiate and we can get you a fair settlement in a matter of weeks or even days. In other cases, we may have to go to court and it could take years.
Regardless of how long it will take, you can count on Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas to be on your side. We take cases on contingency and offer free consultations so there is never any risk to calling us at 909-982-0707 for a consultation.
