Dog Bite Accident Lawyers in Northridge
When you’ve suffered a dog bite in Northridge, you’ll need the help of a qualified attorney to ensure that you’ll receive adequate compensation for your injury. To ensure that you make the right moves after you’ve been unjustly harmed by another person’s dog, learn more about dog bite laws in California and how Valley Accident Lawyers can help you receive full justice under the law.
Dog Bites Can Cause Serious Injuries
In most cases, dog bites heal relatively quickly. Like other lesions, the cuts and scrapes caused by a dog’s teeth usually won’t bleed for long, but even after your wounds have closed and you’re on the path to recovery, you may face certain long-term negative effects that often accompany these types of injuries.
For instance, dog bites can result in serious scars. Depending on where you were bitten by a dog, these scars can be seriously unsightly; for instance, if you receive a severe bite to the face, you may experience permanent disfigurement. This type of injury can destroy your self-confidence, and it may even lead to the loss of your job or important relationships in your life.
Dog bites can also cause long-term emotional effects. If a dog bites a child,he or she may develop a lifelong fear of dogs. Even adults who are bitten by dogs sometimes develop serious phobias of all dogs, and they may be incapable of having dogs as pets. When you’ve been bitten by a dog, an everyday walk down the sidewalk can turn into an anxiety-inducing event.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all dog bites heal cleanly. If you don’t receive adequate medical attention after receiving your bite, for instance, you might develop an infection. It’s also possible to contract certain dangerous diseases, such as rabies, from dogs that haven’t been cared for properly.
Who Is at Fault?
Under California law, the dog owner is almost always held responsible for dog bite injuries. The law indicates that dog owners have strict liability for dog bites, which means that even if a dog owner wasn’t aware of his or her pet’s actions or didn’t know that the dog would behave aggressively, he or she is still responsible for the dog’s actions.
The dog owner is responsible for your dog bite injury if the injury takes place in a public place or while you are lawfully in a private place. For instance, the dog owner is responsible for your bite if you were walking down the sidewalk when you were bitten since the sidewalk is a public place. If you were bitten after you were invited onto the dog owner’s property or were otherwise on the owner’s property lawfully, the owner will also be held responsible for the injury.
You will only be held responsible for a dog bite injury in California if you were trespassing on the owner’s property. In addition, you will be held responsible for a dog bite injury if a military or police dog bit you after you provoked the dog or if the dog was carrying out its normal duties. Keep in mind that these laws only apply when actual bites occurred; other types of dog-related injuries are covered under different statutes.
Why You’ll Need a Lawyer to Get Adequate Compensation
Even though the laws surrounding dog bites in California are reasonably clear, dog bite cases in this state can be notoriously hard to litigate. If you were bitten on the dog owner’s personal property, for instance, the owner might try to argue that you were trespassing. If the litigation of your case reaches this stage, a battle of evidence between you and the dog owner will ensue, and if the evidence that you were on the owner’s property lawfully isn’t strong enough, you could face a countersuit.
Even if it’s clear that you were in the right when another person’s dog bit you, there’s no guarantee that you’ll receive the compensation that you need to recover from your physical and emotional injuries. To make sure that you receive the right amount of compensation, you’ll need to rely on a top-tier dog bite accident lawyer in Northridge who can fully express the depth of the pain you’ve been through and the level of compensation that’s appropriate.
If a countersuit ensues in your dog bite accident case, having the right dog bite lawyer by your side will become necessary. In this situation, you’ll need to take great care to ensure that you won’t end up facing serious fines for something that you didn’t do.
Reach Out to Valley Accident Lawyers Today to Get the Help You Need
Here at Valley Accident Lawyers, we’re very familiar with the laws surrounding dog bite accidents in California. While these laws are relatively straightforward, if you simply assume that the law will be on your side after you’ve been bitten by another person’s dog, you could be in for the fight of your life when your case is heard in court.
We know all the tricks of the trade that will portray your case in a positive light and ensure that you’ll receive the maximum amount of compensation for your injury. To speak with our staff and learn more about how our services can help you, call 818-565-6600 today.
We Help Victims of Dog Bites in these Areas
Granada Hills | San Fernando | Beverly Hills | Porter Ranch | Santa Clarita | Sun Valley | Sylmar | Northridge
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If you or a loved one has been injured, you will want a top rated San Fernando Valley personal injury attorney that understands how to get the maximum compensation you deserve. Our pledge is to be your partner, and provide passionate, yet skillful legal representation needed to win your case. Contact our highly trained personal injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation.