Santa Monica Dog Bite Attorneys

Dog bites and other animal attacks can be especially brutal and leave the victim with permanent injuries, like scars, or emotional injuries, such as fear of animals. Victims even experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Children are especially vulnerable to dog and animal attacks.

Pet owners are responsible for the actions of their pets.

When a pet owner fails to keep their pet on a leash or confined to their property, then they may be responsible if their pet attacks and causes injuries to another person. What’s more, if a pet owner fails to properly train or care for their pet, making it more prone to violent attacks, then they may also be liable if their pet injures another person.

Compensation for dog bite injuries.

If you have been injured by a dog bite, you may be able to collect compensation in the form of compensatory damages for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. You may also be eligible to collect punitive damages if the dog owner has been found responsible for prior dog bites, or if the dog owner’s behavior was outrageous in any way.

To recover compensation for your dog bite injury, you must file a personal injury claim against the dog owner and be able to prove:

• The defendant owned the dog,
• You were bitten by the dog,
• You were lawfully on the premises when the bite occurred, and
• The dog bite caused your injuries.

In some cases, the dog owner's homeowner's insurance policy will cover the dog bite, unless the dog breed has been specifically excluded from the policy. Breeds excluded from homeowners insurance policies tend have aggressive tendencies.

If you have questions about your dog bite injuries, you should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

What is “strict liability” for Dog Bites?

In California, the owner of a dog that bites another person will be held strictly liable. In other words, if you are injured by a dog bite, the dog’s owner is automatically responsible for your injuries.

“Strict liability” means that the owner’s liability does not depend on actual negligence or an intent to harm but rather is based on the breach of an absolute duty to ensure that their animal is safe. This would apply to an owner of a dog that has already attacked or bitten someone. The owner would then be strictly liable for a subsequent attack on another person. It would also apply to an owner of an animal with vicious tendencies, such as a dog trained to fight, or an exotic animal, such as a lion. That owner would be strictly liable for any attack on any person. In California, a judge can even order a “Dangerous Dog Hearing” even before trial to make sure that the animal does not injure another person.

Contact a Santa Monic dog bite lawyer today.

An animal attack claim can sometimes be difficult to navigate, so it is important to contact one of our attorneys at Schwimer Weinstein to review your case. We have years of experience representing dog bite victims with proven results. Win With Us. Contact us today to meet with our attorneys.