We all love dogs, but even the best dogs can suddenly turn violent and inflict injuries with vicious dog bites.
Fortunately, California law protects dog bite victims, even if the dog does not have a prior history of attacks.
In California, the dog’s owner is responsible for the damages suffered by anyone who is bitten while in a public place (such as a street) or lawfully in a private place, which would also include the dog owner’s property.
Dog owners are also responsible for their dogs if the animal somehow gets out of their home or fenced yard (“ordinary care”) and bites someone. Also, a dog owner may be liable if his employees, agents, partners or family are in charge of the dog.
So what should you do if you are bitten by someone’s dog?
1. Seek medical care immediately. Beyond the physical injury of a dog bite,the animal may not be up to date on its shots. You don’t want to contract rabies or some other disease.
2. Call the police. When they arrive, tell them what happened and request a copy of the police report.
3. Try to take pictures of your injuries. Even if you don’t have a camera with you, use a cell phone camera to document your dog bite injuries. Take pictures of the dog, if possible.
4. Get the name and contact information of the owner of the dog. Also, get any names and contact information of people who witnessed the dog bite.
5. Do not have any contact with the dog owner’s insurance company. Do not agree to any settlements or make any statements. You could be giving up dog bitecompensation.
6. Save any clothing and/or property also damaged by the dog. Take pictures of this as well.
7. Contact Hashemi Law Group for a free evaluation. Call our office immediately 1-888-551-1070 or email us after you have been injured. If you wait too long, you may be giving up money that would pay for your medical bills, property damages and more.
Our dog bite attorneys are extremely experienced and successful in obtaining compensation for dog bite victimsand victims of other types of animal bites.
Majid Hashemi is an experienced Los Angeles dog bite lawyer who focuses on personal injury cases, works on a contingency basis, returns calls and is always professional and courteous.
