California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A Riverside County dog attack on Saturday resulted in dog bite injuries to an Anza woman. According to ABC 7 News, the woman was outside hanging laundry out to dry when three dogs attacked her around 9:30 a.m.
Emergency personnel and animal control were called and responded to the scene. Ultimately, the woman was airlifted to the hospital because of her injuries. The three dogs were taken by animal control—all three are pit bulls or pit bull mixes. It is likely that the dogs will be put down.
The owner of the dogs was contacted and later arrested on other outstanding warrants. Animal Services director stated, “This is another preventable attack on an innocent person and one we find very upsetting…Our hearts go out to [the victim] and her family.”
Many dog attacks are preventable and occur merely because dog owners fail to take proper care of their animals or fail to use proper precautions, such keeping their dogs on a leash, when bringing their dog around others. Under California dog bite law, the owner of a dog is strictly liable for the damages caused when their dog bites another person. This means that the owner is responsible for any dog bite damages, regardless if the dog has attacked anyone in the past. Some people mistakenly think that there is a “one bite rule” in which the owner is not responsible the first time his or her dog attacks and bites a victim. However, in California, it does not matter if there was a prior bite in the dog’s history, an owner is always responsible for injuries caused by their dog.
This law is important for the protection of dog bite victims. Thanks to this law, the woman injured in this dog attack can bring a claim against the dog owner to get financial recovery for her injuries. In any dog attack situation, when determining between the owner or the victim who should pay for the damages caused by a dog bite, the owner of the dog should be held responsible. If dog owners have a homeowner’s insurance policy, this can help cover and pay for the dog bite damages to the victim.
The personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Gary K. Walch have successfully handled many California dog bite claims over the years. We can help dog bite victims receive the personal injury damages they deserve as compensation for their injuries. This financial compensation can be used for medical bills, psychiatric bills, loss of earnings, and general damages for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life activities. If the dog bite victim requires plastic surgery to repair the dog bite scars or wounds, the owner of the dog (or his or her insurance company) will be responsible to pay for this as well.
If you or someone you know is attacked by a dog, you need a dog bite attorney who has experience with such claims and knows how to prove your injuries to obtain the maximum financial recovery possible. Contact Walch Law today at 866-465-8792 for a free case consultation.