Victorville Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

As much as we’d like to think that dog owners are always conscientious, that’s not the case: Many of us have a neighbor who lets his dog run rampant through the neighborhood. And because animals will be animals, even the most well-trained among them can lash out and bite passersby if startled or provoked.    At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve built a strong reputation for helping dog bite victims recover compensation for their injuries. If you’ve have been injured by a rogue animal, let us help you along the road to recovery.

California’s Strict Liability Law

In most personal injury cases, injured parties need to prove that someone acted negligently. However, dog bite cases are different: Pet owners in California are “strictly liable” for injuries that their animals cause. This means that as the injured party, you do not need to prove that the dog owner did anything wrong. You simply need to prove:

• That the at-fault party owned the animal that harmed you; 
• That the attack occurred when you were 1) on public property, or 2) lawfully on private property; and  
• That you were injured.

Generally, the responsible party in an animal attack case is the animal’s owner. However, there are exceptions: 

• The Landlord: If a landlord is aware that a tenant owns a dangerous animal, he has the right to remove it from the premises. As such, if that animal attacks you when you are (lawfully) on the landlord’s property, you may be able to hold him liable. 
• The animal’s caretaker: If another person or business was responsible for the animal at the time of the attack, you may potentially hold that party liable – however, this only applies if the caretaker had “prior knowledge” that the animal was dangerous. 
• Property owners: The owner of a residential property may be liable for your injuries if a dangerous animal escaped due to a neglected fence or other defective condition.

Compensation for Dog Bites

At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we routinely represent victims of dog bites in insurance claims, and as such, are positioned to help you walk away with the compensation you deserve. This will look different case-by-case, but generally, there are a few types of damages you can recover: 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). For example, economic damages may include items like past and future medical expenses and lost wages. On the other hand, non-economic damages include items that are harder to quantity – but which still matter tremendously – like emotional distress. 

If You’ve Been Injured, Act Fast.

In California, a two-year statute of limitations applies to most personal injury cases. This means that you have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. As such, if you think you might want to pursue damages in the future, you can’t afford to sit on your hands: Even the process of filing an insurance claim can take time, so it’s vital to act quickly to avoid running out of time.  At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we have recovered more than $300 million for our clients, a large portion of which has been in animal attack cases. We are poised to help you pursue compensation for your injuries with our honest, transparent approach. During our free consultation, we will evaluate your case and 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 low-risk consultation today by calling 1-800-GO-Harris or by sending us a message online.