There are an estimated 481,572 households in Los Angeles with a dog, and the U.S. Postal Service announced that Los Angeles was the city with the second most dog attacks on its employees in 2019. Dog bites are a daily occurrence in a city as large as Los Angeles, so it’s a good thing the experienced Los Angeles dog bite lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers are here to help you obtain compensation for your injuries, lost wages, medical bills and more if you were bitten by a dog.
We know all of the best doctors in Los Angeles so we can get you the finest treatment available for your injuries. We even have a network of the best plastic surgeons in Southern California at your beck and call if you’ve been disfigured by a dog bite.
Our doctors work on a lien, so they won’t charge you for their services until your case is over.
We, too, won’t charge you until your case is over, and we won’t charge you at all if we don’t obtain a recovery for you. Our only fee is a small percentage of your recovery if we obtain a recovery for you.
Call us today for a free consultation if you or a loved one was injured or killed by a dog bite. You may be eligible for financial compensation. You can also text us from this page or fill out the contact form on this page.
Strict Liability: The Heart Of A Dog Bite Case
Strict liability is usually the legal path we take to obtain a recovery for your dog bite injuries. CVC 3342 holds dog owners in California strictly liable for any damages caused by their dog biting someone in public or while the victim was lawfully on private property. This liability applies regardless of if the dog has previously demonstrated viciousness or if the owner knew about any viciousness.
Owners of military and police dogs at work are not liable for damages caused by dog bites which occur during:
- Holding or apprehending a criminal suspect
- Executing a warrant
- Investigating a crime or possible crime
- Defending a person
Dog owners are not strictly liable when their dogs bite trespassers. Dog owners are not strictly liable when their dogs bite someone whose own negligence, like provoking the dog, caused the bite to occur. Dog owners are not strictly liable when their dogs bite vets because the veterinary profession assumes the risk of dog bites.
Negligence
Dog bite recoveries can sometimes be successfully obtained even in an absence of strict liability when a dog bite occurs due to somebody else’s negligence. Negligence is defined by CACI No. 401 as not using reasonable care to prevent harm.
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers
Suite 1050
Los Angeles CA 90024
(310) 826-8082
For example, a trespasser can still obtain a recovery for a dog bite if they can prove the dog owner was negligent in failing to prevent the dog bite or knew or should have known the dog was vicious or dangerous.
Statute Of Limitations
You have two years from the date you were bitten by a dog on to file a lawsuit in California. Our experienced dog bite lawyers can ensure all your paperwork is filed in a timely manner.
Dog Bite Facts And Statistics
State Farm paid $18.6 million for 409 dog bite claims in California in 2018. California was the state the company saw the most claims in, and paid out the most money in.
California led all states in fatal dog attacks in 2019, with nine deaths.
A study published in March 2020 found that pit bull terriers inflicted more complex wounds, went off property to attack and were often unprovoked when compared to other breeds. The study found that younger children suffered more severe injuries, and that girls were bitten more than boys.
Over 70 percent of dog bites involved unneutered male dogs, and 97 percent of dogs involved in fatal dog attacks in 2006 weren’t spayed or neutered.
Pit bulls are responsible for the most deaths in the United States, having killed 248 people over a 13 year period. Rottweilers came in second, killing 45 in the same period.
Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale
Dr. Ian Dunbar’s dog bite scale is the most commonly used dog bite scale. It categorizes dog bites into six categories:
Level 1: Aggressive behavior which doesn’t involve teeth coming into contact with the skin. An example of this would be a dog snapping at someone without actually biting them.
Level 2: Skin/tooth contact without vertical puncture. Skin nicks under 1/10 of an inch deep and slight bleeding can occur.
Level 3: Involves a single bite with no puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth.
Level 4: Involves a single bite with a puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth.
Level 5: A multiple bite incident with at least two level 4 bites.
Level 6: A fatal dog attack.
Over 99% of dog incidents are level 1 or level 2.
Dogs who cause level 4 bites are considered very dangerous. Dogs who cause level 5 or 6 bites are not safe around people and must live in solitary confinement or be euthanized.
Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawsuits
We have been handling dog bite claims since 1990 and have recovered over $750,000,000 on behalf of personal injury clients in that time. We will always return your calls and emails promptly.
We can obtain you compensation for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, loss of earning potential, pain and suffering, disfigurement, disability and more, and we can get you to the best doctors where you’ll receive the best treatment.
Best of all, our services are free if we don’t obtain financial compensation for you!
Call us now if you or a loved one was injured or killed by a dog bite in Los Angeles. You may be able to obtain a financial recovery.
