Dog bites and animal attacks can leave physical and psychological damages. MHM Law Group, APLC can help you obtain proper compensation for your troubles. Learn more.

Every year, more than 4.7 million people are attacked by dogs in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some of these bites may be minor, but some may result in major injuries that require immediate and serious medical attention. No matter what the case, animal attacks can be devastating. And if you, or a loved one, have fallen victim to any animal attack, you can seek compensation in the state of California for your medical bills, emotional distress, lost wages and other expenses.

In California, the dog bite liability laws are very strict. Here, the dog owners are held responsible for the behavior of their pet and any damage caused by them, regardless of where the attack took place—either in the owner’s own backyard or in another place. The victim only needs to prove that they were the recipient of a dog’s unprovoked bite. They can submit pictures of the injuries, a witness to the scene, and their medical records. The owner will be held responsible for the attack. You can contact an animal attack attorney from MHM Law Group, APLC to explain your situation and they will make a strong case for you. 

In California, the laws overrule the usual “one bite free” law that is applicable in other states. It means that if a dog has no history of vicious behavior and has never bitten anyone, the owner will be let off the charges if their pet bites someone unprovoked for the first time. In order to encourage owners to keep their dogs trained to be docile, the law in California does not entertain the one bit free rule. Thus, even if a dog has never previously exhibited aggressive behavior before the attack, and/or the owner had no prior knowledge of the behavior of their pet, they will still be held liable. This offers the victims of animal attacks the chance to pursue damages for their injuries. A lawyer from MHM Law Group, APLC will be able to assess the situation and damages incurred, and build a strong case to reimburse your pain and loss.

However, there are certain cases which are outside the liability of this law. Such as when a dog reacts to protect the peace officer, a police dog bites during an investigation of a crime or during the execution of a warrant, when a police officer brings their dog onto private property and the dog bites in retaliation to any provoking act, and the victim is unlawfully present in a private place and the dog reacts in order to protect the property. If you, or your loved one, has fallen victim to a dog attack, and your case is not in any of the ones mentioned above, then a lawyer from MHM Law Group, APLC can help you pursue compensation.

The most common damages caused by dog bites and animal attacks include physical damages like broken bones and fractures, bleeding and swelling of the wound, infections from the wound and further injuries caused by them, nerve and muscle damage and permanent disfigurement or cosmetic deformities like scarring. Moreover, these attacks often cause psychological injuries that haunt the victim for a long time, like anxiety in the presence of any dog, depression from the harrowing experience, emotional trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Because the owner’s insurance companies will not take your long-term injuries and suffering under consideration, it is important to contact a personal injury lawyer from MHM Law Group, APLC as soon as you can, so that you can have your rights taken care of.