Carmel Dog Bite Attorneys

Man’s best friend isn’t always so friendly. Fortunately, California law enables victims of dog bites to recover compensation for their medical expenses and injuries. At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, our dog bite lawyers have years of experience representing victims of dog bites and are ready to speak with you about your case. Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS to schedule a free consultation with one of our Carmel dog bite attorneys today.

I’ve Been Bitten. What Next?

The first step you should take in any injury case is to see a doctor. It is impossible to know the severity and extent of your injuries until you consult a professional who can provide an official diagnosis and treatment plan. However, once you’ve attended to your injuries, you may wonder whether you can recover compensation for your medical bills. Fortunately, in many cases, you can. In most personal injury cases, injured parties need to prove that someone was at fault to recover damages. However, dog bite cases are different. In California, dog owners are “strictly liable” for injuries that their animals cause. The California statute, Civil Code Section 3342, states that: “The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.” In other words, this means that you do not need to prove that the dog’s owner acted negligently or was somehow at fault. All you need to prove is that you were injured and that the attack occurred when you were 1) on public property, or 2) lawfully on private property.

Compensation for Dog Bites

What you stand to recover in a dog bite case depends on the specific circumstances, like the severity of your injuries. However, in most personal injury cases, there are a few types of damages that you can recover: economic damages and non-economic damages.

• Economic damages (those that are meant to compensate you for losses you’ve sustained due to your injuries), and
• Non-economic damages (compensation for intangible losses, like pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life).

Economic damages include items like past and future medical expenses and lost wages. On the other hand, non-economic damages include items that are harder to quantify, like emotional distress and diminished quality of life.

Representation You Can Count On

At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we have recovered more than $300 million for our clients, a large portion of which has been in cases involving aggressive and dangerous dogs and other domesticated animals. During our complimentary case review, we will provide you with an overview of the next steps to take in pursuing the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries. With our history of success in dog bite cases and in-depth knowledge of relevant law, our team can guide you throughout each stage of your case. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-GO-Harris or by sending us a message online.