Were you or your child seriously injured by a dog bite in Santa Ana, California? A skilled Santa Ana dog bite lawyer with Robles Babaee, Personal Injury Lawyers can help with your case. If you hire us, we will assist you in achieving a favorable outcome for your case. Call us at (714) 263-3700.
We understand this area of the law and are familiar with the local courts, rules, and procedures as well.
We are dedicated to advocating for our clients every day. Our goal is to provide compassionate yet assertive support throughout your legal process, addressing truck accidents, car accidents, Santa Ana motorcycle injuries, wrongful death, brain injury claims, and more. Our results speak for themselves.
If you hire us, we’re confident that we can assist you in achieving a favorable outcome for your case. Your first consultation with us is free. Contact our office today to schedule a time to meet.
How Robles Babaee, Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Dog Bite in Santa Ana
Our dedicated Santa Ana personal injury lawyers will fight for your rights and strive for you to receive compensation for all of your dog bite injuries. To date, we’ve recovered millions on behalf of our injured clients.
When you hire an lawyer from Robles Babaee, Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ll expertly manage your case and take the following steps to recover compensation for your losses:
- Investigate your case
- Explain your legal options
- Gather facts and evidence to support your claims
- Assess the extent of your injuries and other damages
- Contact the insurance company on your behalf to negotiate a settlement
- Representing you in court if a favorable settlement can’t be reached
Our personal injury lawyers in Santa Ana, California, are committed to providing exceptional service and seeking the best possible outcome for our clients. To learn more about how we can help with your dog bite case, contact our law office today for a free consultation.
How Common Are Dog Bite Incidents in Santa Ana, CA?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the United States each year, and over 800,000 people seek medical attention for their injuries. Children are more likely to be victims of dog bites and are more likely to suffer serious injuries if bitten.
Dog bites are a common cause of home insurance claims. In 2022, 17,597 home insurance claims were made based on dog bites or other injuries caused by dogs.
California has the highest number of dog bite and dog-related attack claims. In fact, 11% of all dog bite claims occurred in California.
What Is My Santa Ana Dog Bite Case Worth?
Every personal injury case is unique, including your dog bite case. Before assessing what your dog bite case may be worth, one of our experienced Santa Ana personal injury lawyers will review the following factors in your case:
- The severity of the injuries
- The extent of any property damage
- The strength of the evidence supporting your claims
- Whether you were partially at fault
- The relevant insurance policy limits
Another factor that can influence the value of your case is if you hire a skilled dog bite lawyer to handle your case. Your lawyer can level the playing field between you and the insurance company, gather evidence to support your claims, and negotiate a settlement on your behalf.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims?
If you or someone you love was injured in a dog bite incident, you may be able to hold the dog’s owner responsible and recover compensation for your losses. In the personal injury context, these losses are called damages. They can be broken down into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages relate to the financial costs of the dog attack. They may also be called tangible damages or special damages. Economic damages may include past and future medical bills, lost wages, diminished future earning capacity, and property damage.
Economic damages are usually straightforward to calculate and prove. They will relate to specific transactions and can be supported with receipts, invoices, or other documentation.
While these are fairly easy to calculate, an experienced personal injury lawyer can be instrumental in ensuring that your damages are properly calculated and negotiating a favorable settlement with the opposing party.
Non-Economic Damages
On the other hand, non-economic damages relate to the subjective or intangible consequences of the dog attack. For that reason, they are sometimes called intangible damages or general damages. They include losses like pain and suffering, emotional anguish, loss of companionship, and diminished quality of life.
Non-economic damages are harder to calculate than economic damages. It’s difficult to assign a value to a victim’s emotional suffering or subjective experience after an injury. If you incurred non-economic damages from the dog bite incident, consider speaking with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer about your case.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer?
In most cases, you won’t have to pay any lawyer’s fees upfront when you hire a personal injury lawyer. That’s because most personal injury lawyers, including ours, work for a contingent fee. A contingent fee is a fee the lawyer collects at the end of your case, based on a percentage of your total financial recovery. A typical contingent fee is between 33% and 40%.
Keep in mind that you may be responsible for other costs that arise during your case, such as court filing fees and administrative costs. Your lawyer will explain whether you are responsible for these costs and how they will be collected.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite Accident in California?
The dog owner or other at-fault party may argue that you were partly to blame for the dog bite accident. For example, they may argue that you failed to heed a warning sign about a dangerous dog.
Fortunately, you can still recover compensation for your losses if you were partly to blame for your dog bite injuries.
California has a pure comparative negligence law, which assigns each party in the case a percentage of fault (which may be 0%). Your financial recovery will be reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault.
So, for example, if you are found to be 25% at fault and the dog owner is 75% at fault, you can recover up to 75% of your damages. If you suffered $100,000 in damages from the dog bite, then you could recover $75,000.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can cause a wide variety of serious injuries, including:
- Puncture wounds
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Disfigurement
- Infections
- Emotional trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder
- Lacerations
- Eye damage
We will work to recover compensation for all of the damages you suffered as a result of the dog bite attack.
Are Dog Owners Strictly Liable for Dog Bites in California?
In California, dog owners are held strictly liable for injuries that occur if their dog bites and injures someone. The state does not have a “one bite” rule in place that would allow dog owners to escape liability if their pet has never bitten anyone before.
Strict liability means that, unless an exception applies, the victim does not have to prove that the owner was negligent. The owner is liable for your injuries simply because their dog bit you.
This means you do not have to show that the owner was unreasonable to recover compensation. Indeed, the owner could have taken reasonable steps to prevent any injuries by their dog and still be held strictly liable.
However, there are exceptions to strict liability for dog bites. Strict liability might not apply if, for example, you were trespassing or provoked the dog into biting you.
However, even if strict liability does not apply, you still may be able to seek compensation from the dog owner if the owner was negligent.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in California?
In California, you must file your lawsuit within two years after the date of the dog bite. If your case is not filed within this two-year statute of limitations, you will not be able to file your case.
While many personal injury cases are resolved without filing a lawsuit, failing to do so within the two-year period may seriously hinder your ability to recover compensation from the at-fault party.
There are exceptions to this time limit for some cases, and it’s crucial that you’re aware of the deadline for filing your lawsuit. Contact our legal team as soon as you can to preserve your legal rights and interests.
Contact Our Trusted Santa Ana Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one were injured by a dog bite, you may be reeling from the trauma and consequences of that attack. Reach out to our dedicated Santa Ana dog bite lawyers to discuss your case and begin seeking compensation for your injuries.
To schedule a free consultation with a member of our team, contact our office today.
Our personal injury law firm in Santa Ana also provides:
- Brain injury accident attorneys in Santa Ana, CA
- Car accident attorneys in Santa Ana, CA
- Medical malpractice attorney in Santa Ana, CA
- Motorcycle accident lawyer in Santa Ana, CA
- Premises liability lawyers in Santa Ana, CA
- Product liability lawyer in Santa Ana, CA
- Santa Ana bicycle accident lawyers
- Santa Ana catastrophic injury lawyers
- Santa Ana pedestrian accident lawyers
- Sexual assault attorneys in Santa Ana, CA
- Slip and fall accident lawyers in Santa Ana, CA
- Truck accident attorneys in Santa Ana, CA
- Uber accident attorneys in Santa Ana
- Wrongful death lawyers in Santa Ana
