After a dog attack, you can find yourself with serious injuries. Not only can you end up with significant puncture wounds from the initial attack, but you may also end up getting an infection due to the incident. In fact, around a fifth of dog bite victims end up with infections due to the wound. Furthermore, dog attacks can cause broken bones and significant muscle and tissue damage, all of which can add up to substantial medical bills and ongoing losses.
If you suffer dog bite injuries in California, you have the right to compensation for your injuries. However, do these same protections extend to you if you were trespassing? Our team at Setareh Law can help you understand your rights.
California’s Strict Liability Dog Bite Laws
California has strict liability dog bite laws that provide protection for anyone who suffered injuries in a dog attack. Regardless of whether the dog has bitten anyone before or the owner has any reason to believe that the dog will bite, if someone gets attacked by the dog and suffers injuries, the victim has the right to recover compensation for any damages. That includes:
Medical Bills
After a dog attack, many victims will need to go straight to the hospital. That can mean both ambulance transport and emergency room fees, depending on where in California you suffer the dog attack and the severity of your injuries. Some victims will require stitches. Others may need more extensive treatment, including antibiotics to stave off infection. Whatever medical bills the victim of a dog attack faces, the owner of the dog will typically have to pay.
Lost Income
Many dog attack victims find that their injuries will prevent them from working for a period of time after the incident. The length of the time out of work will depend both on the severity of the incident and the job that the employee performs. For example, someone who engages in heavy manual labor may need to wait longer to return to work after a dog attack than someone who is able to sit at a desk most of the day. As part of a claim against a dog’s owner after an attack, the victim may have the right to claim compensation for all of those lost wages.
Pain and Suffering
A dog attack does not just mean serious medical costs and work challenges. It can also cause significant ongoing suffering. Many victims suffer from pain around the site of the injury, especially if they sustained broken bones or other severe injuries. Furthermore, victims may end up with PTSD, increased anxiety, or other emotional challenges related to the dog attack.
As part of a comprehensive dog bite injury claim, many victims have the right to claim compensation for pain and suffering.
Does California’s Dog Bite Law Protect Trespassers?
California’s dog bite laws indicate that the owner of the dog must take responsibility for any injuries caused by the dog, including the financial implications of those injuries. However, in order for the owner to bear liability, the victim will need to show that the attack occurred either in a public space where both dog and victim had the right to be, or on private property that the victim had permission to enter.
That means that if you suffer a dog attack while trespassing, you may not have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries. If you enter a property that you did not have the right to enter or ignore private property designations, including entering a fenced area or home with a dog without permission, you may not have the right to pursue compensation for any injuries that you sustained because of the incident.
Contact a California Dog Bite Lawyer at Setareh Law for Help With Your Claim
If you suffered injuries in a dog attack, you need a California dog bite lawyer to help you manage your claim. A dog bite lawyer can help establish that you were on the property legally, that you did not knowingly provoke the dog, and that you deserve compensation for your injuries. Furthermore, a lawyer can help lay out the damages you sustained because of the attack and the compensation you deserve.
Setareh Law is here to help. Contact us online today or call us at (310) 659-1826 to discuss your right to compensation after a dog attack. We also speak Spanish.