Dog Bite Injury Attorney Oceanside | Dog Attack Lawyer
Bitten by a dog, you need to contact an Oceanside dog bite lawyer with Simpson Law Group right away to find out what your legal remedies are and how you can go about filing a dog bite claim.
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Oceanside Dog Bite Injury Attorney

Dogs are a big part of the American family, and most are docile, loving and playful. Americans own 90 million dogs, and most of them cause few problems beyond the occasional chewed up furniture leg. However, dogs that become aggressive can become a serious problem for their owners, especially if they attack someone and cause injury or even death. If you have been bitten by a dog, you need to contact an dog attack lawyer right away to find out what your legal remedies are and how you can go about filing a dog bite claim.

Dog Bite Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are around 4.5 million dog bite injuries in the United States each year. If you are among them, then you can seek out compensation for your loss from the person who owns the dog. California, which leads the country in the number of dog bite incidences reported each year, is a strict liability state, and as such, dog owners are immediately responsible when their dogs attack. An exception to this is when the person bitten is illegally on the person’s property.

Liability in a Dog Bite Claim

If the dog owner has a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, the damages caused by the dog bite may be covered under tat policy. Such policies paid out nearly $700 million in claims for dog bite and other dog attack injuries (such as injuries that occur if a dog knocks a cyclist from his bike) in 2017 alone, notes the Insurance Information Institute. The average dog bite claim in California is $44,700, while nationwide, it is $37,000. Most insurance policies will pay anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 for dog bite claims, but for claims where the injuries are much more serious, any excess above these policy gaps becomes the responsibility of the dog owner himself. Oceanside dog bite victims have a right to pursue damages for their dog bite injuries, including compensation for present and future medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.

California and Strict Liability for Dog Bite Injuries

In many states, a dog owner’s liability is judged partially on whether or not the dog in question has ever bitten before. This is called the “one bite rule.” This is not the case in California. Under the strict liability rules set about by California law, a dog’s past behavior has little influence on the owner’s liability. Even if the dog has failed to act aggressively in the past, the owner is still held strictly liable for any injuries caused by the dog. An exception to this is in the case of the person bitten illegally trespassing onto the dog owner’s property or provoking the dog. The onus of proof is on the owner of the dog to prove that he is not liable due to these exceptions.

Working with an Oceanside Dog Bite Injury Attorney

If you have been bitten by an aggressive dog, act right away to preserve your rights to file a claim against the dog’s owner. Consult with an Oceanside dog bite attorney with Simpson Law Group to find out your best course of action to ensure maximum reimbursement for your losses.

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