Dog Bite Damages in California
The amount of compensation you can get for a dog bite injury can vary drastically‚ depending on how your case is handled. With an experienced personal injury attorney on your side‚ you will have a much better chance at attaining optimal compensation for your claim. The attorneys at San Diego’s Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers are skilled and dogged investigators‚ and passionate about protecting the rights of Southern California injury victims. To get the full and fair settlement or verdict you deserve‚ call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (888) 233-5020 for a free‚ comprehensive‚ case evaluation.
California Dog Bite Law
California does not hold to the one bite rule when it comes to dog bite incidents. Instead‚ the state applies strict liability to such cases. This means the dog’s owner is held liable for all damages incurred in an attack‚ as long as the incident occurred in a public place or on the owner’s property – assuming‚ of course‚ that the victim was an invited guest. A person who is bitten while being unlawfully on the dog owner’s property is not permitted to collect damages.
Determining Compensation for a San Diego Dog Bite Claim
Though it is impossible to predict exactly how much your claim is worth‚ you can depend on certain factors to influence the final decision:
- Past and future medical expenses;
- Lost income and loss of earning capacity;
- Physical pain and suffering; and
- Emotional trauma.
Non-economic damages are awarded on a per diem basis. In other words‚ the jury uses their discretion to determine an appropriate monetary amount based on the amount of pain and trauma the victim suffers daily as a result of the dog bite. Then that daily amount is multiplied by the number of days the pain and trauma lasted.
What Else Affects the Worth of My San Diego Dog Bite Claim?
When determining the worth of a dog bite claim‚ the jury also takes into account the traumatic effects of any disfigurement or scarring‚ along with the age of the victim. For instance‚ someone with a scar on his/her face is generally awarded a higher compensation than one with a scar on a more discreet area of the body‚ such as the ankle. Additionally‚ cases involving child victims are usually worth significantly more than those involving adult victims – the logic is that children are more likely to experience long-lasting emotional trauma due to their sensitive age.
Just as there are factors that boost the worth of a claim‚ there are also those that diminish it. Although California is a strict liability state‚ a victim’s case could still be hurt if s/he provoked the dog to attack in any way. Furthermore‚ if the dog owner has inadequate home insurance‚ there may not be enough compensation available to fully cover damages.
Call San Diego Dog Bite Lawyers at Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers
There is no reason why you shouldn’t consult with one of our premier San Diego injury lawyers. Since our initial consultations are free‚ there is literally no risk in discussing your case with us. Plus‚ if you have a good case‚ you will only be thanking yourself later for making the call. So‚ what are you waiting for? Don’t delay – call our office at (619) 233-5020 today.
