Sacramento Dog Bite Injury Attorneys

Accident & Injury Lawyers in Sacramento, California

The state of California ranks number one in the country for dog bite injuries and dog-related fatalities.

The Humane Society has reported that between 10 and 20 people each year die as a result of dog bite injuries throughout the nation.  Many of the dog bite victims are small children.  In fact, dog bites are a leading cause of emergency room visits for children.  Dog bite victims often suffer from serious laceration injuries, with many of them on their heads and faces.  It is important to note that even if you are bitten by a friend’s, neighbor’s, or family member’s dog, you may still be able to receive compensation from the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy. 

California is a strict liability state, meaning that a dog owner is strictly liable when his or her dog bites another person.  Even if the dog owner was not negligent and the dog had never attacked or bitten anyone previously, he or she may be held liable for any injuries that the dog caused.  Under California’s Civil Code section 3342 it states: 

3342.    (a) The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness.  A person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner within the meaning of this section when he is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or when he is on such property upon the invitation, express or implied, of the owner.

Under the law, it is recognized that “the dog owner is virtually an insurer of the dog’s conduct” and is, therefore, responsible for any injuries that the dog may cause, as well as being expected to be vigilant in preventing the dog from harming anyone.  California dog bite victims are entitled to receive compensation from an individual whose negligence causes them to be injured.  Negligence can be determined to be the mishandling of a dog, failing to, or ineffectively controlling a dog, putting an animal in a situation that foreseeably may create a situation where injury to an individual will occur, or violating an animal control law.  It is important to note that the liability for ineffective control of a dog does not mean that it has to be proven that the dog was dangerous.  Under Section 518, comment (h), it is recognized that “even ordinarily gentle animals are likely to be dangerous under particular circumstances.”  Thus, a dog owner is responsible to (1) know the dog’s normal tendencies, (2) know when the dog’s normal tendencies are likely to be dangerous under certain circumstances, and (3) act with reasonable care and caution in order to ensure that the dog will not cause harm to another individual when any normal, yet dangerous tendencies occur.      

Anyone who has ever been attacked by a dog knows how terrifying it can be and how serious the injuries may be.  Oftentimes, dog bite injuries last a lifetime.  Even after they heal, you are sometimes left with permanent, disfiguring scarring.  Some dogs will bite their victims repeatedly, causing tearing, severe scarring, and serious injury, that sometimes have even led to the death of a victim. 

At the Sacramento Dog Bite Injury Law Firm, we have handled a number of dog bite accident cases.  Our highly-skilled Sacramento dog bite accident attorneys can help to ensure that your rights are protected and that you will receive compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and mental anguish.  At the Sacramento Dog Bite Injury Law firm, we will fully assess your claim and help to determine the amount of money damages you can expect to recover.  With numerous resources and a vast amount of legal expertise, we can help you through this most difficult time.

Contact a Sacramento dog bite lawyer regarding your injuries and claim!