Dog Bite Personal Injury Law

You may be surprised to find that dog bites are a very common form of injury – especially if you’re a dog owner and your dog is perfectly docile.  Even docile dogs have been known to bite at certain times, so dog bites are not just a case of pit bulls or rotweilers that have been trained to be vicious – though these types of dogs are the most common dog bite personal injury cases.

What this should tell you is two things:

1. If you’re a dog owner, you should be very careful with your dog around strangers, as dog bites can lead to personal injury claims.
2. If you have been bitten by a dog it’s well within your right to contact a personal injury lawyer to handle the case.

As with other personal injury cases, the severity of the injury is most paramount.  If a nip from a dog leads to a mere scratch that easily heals, it is not worthwhile to go through the claims process.  However, if you have a very serious injury, the dog owner can – and should – be held accountable.  This is quite common with children, unfortunately, who often retain the worst injuries.

If you have been bitten severely by a dog, you should file a police report as this is a criminal matter. You should, however, make a statement to the dog owner or the owner’s insurance company and instead privately consult with a personal injury lawyer first.  Of course, your first recourse should be to seek medical attention – and your medical records will be vital for trying the case.

Each state is different, but California has a dog bite statute which holds dog owners accountable, so if you are bitten you should consult with a local personal injury attorney.