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With so many people and pets in Los Angeles, it’s no wonder there are multiple dog attacks yearly.
The Ideal Professional to Help You
Because California has a “strict liability,” it does not mean the family or child will recover full value for their personal injury case. The statute simply means the victim doesn’t need to prove that the dog owner was negligent. Proving damages is another matter. This article helps you understand these situations’ circumstances and why hiring an attorney is best.
Does Fear Trigger a Dog Bite Bite Attack?
There might not be a single cause behind dog bites, but research shows fear can trigger it. Unfortunately, a dog bite injury can occur because the animal smelled the chemicals in the child or the parent, thought it was a threat, and decided to bite.
Research at Liverpool University shows that displaying anxiety or fear can significantly raise the chances of suffering a dog bite. Consequently, many people wonder if there’s a way to avoid this in private and public spaces, to no avail.
Dog bites occur for many reasons, not only because they smell fear. At the same time, if you or your child were a dog bite victim before, you might develop a pathological fear of being around these animals, also known as ‘cynophobia’ (extreme fear of dogs).
Developing cynophobia means you cannot control your natural panic when seeing one of these animals. Therefore, you must be patient, get the necessary treatment, and not force yourself or your child to try and avoid being afraid because it might be counterproductive.
You could also develop post-traumatic stress disorder, another psychological disorder where you suffered a traumatic situation (the dog attack) with emotional effects that now affect your daily activities.
Learning to be around these furry friends without panicking is the key to avoiding a dog attack. Doing this does not guarantee that a dog won’t attack you, but it diminishes your chances of suffering from a dog bite.
Sometimes, the dog owner does not fulfill their duty and never cares about training their pet or ensuring it doesn’t attack anyone. In these cases, you might be able to file a negligence claim, which you will learn about shortly. In the end, if you have legal questions, our contingency basis lawyers in Los Angeles will provide a number for parents to call and discuss their legal options over such an emotionally charged type of case.
Statistics for Children’s Dog Bite Injuries Are Shocking
Over 20 fatalities have occurred due to dog attacks in the past ten years. If you look at the ages of the deceased, you might be shocked to notice that many of them were children lost in the jaws of a lawfully owned dog on a leash. And you’d be equally amazed to know many die from an infection like rabies.
Dog bite victims are not exclusively children, of course, but for some reason, kids are more prone to suffering from a dog bite. It might be because these situations sometimes occur when the child plays outside, and the dog sees them and thinks they are trespassing. In any case, dog attack victims go through tremendously horrific consequences, particularly if they sustain significant injuries or develop a phobia.
More Dog Bites in Children Under 13
Statistics show that children under 13 years old are three times more prone to being dog bite victims. Thus, even though a case like this can include a person of any age, you should be particularly careful if you have children. Otherwise, when infants are around furry friends, these animals might rip open their skin, bleeding the victim to death from such a wound in the emergency room.
Beware the Signs of a Dog Bite Attack
While it’s true that sometimes preventing a dog bite and its attendant nerve damage is impossible, there are some signs of such viciousness landlords and business owners should look out for to keep it a safe place from biting incidents.
Check out what you should try to identify:
- Growling
- Snarling
- Barking
- Teeth baring
- A tail that’s standing right up
- Raised hackles.
Just like there are some ways to prevent dog bites by identifying the warning signs, you can also do some things to try to avoid this situation.
Here is what you should try:
- Never get too near strange dogs
- Don’t look at dogs in their eyes
- Never play with a dog’s food bowl or water
- Stay away from a dog owner’s property unless they invite you
- Don’t try to pet a strange dog without the consent of its owner, as you risk getting bitten.
Finally, look out for all the previously mentioned warning signs. If you see a dog displaying them, stay away and don’t approach them. It’s not worth the physical and psychological damage a small child could suffer seeing a mom, dad, sibling, or themselves being attacked by a dog.
It’s crucial to point out that you might still suffer dog bite injuries even if you follow all the suggestions. As mentioned before, sometimes a dog attack is a result of the owner’s negligence, and you or your tiny loved one can’t avoid being bitten by a dog.
What Is a Landshark?
According to California dog bite laws, some dog breeds are more prone to being aggressive, and therefore, they’re more dangerous than others. The term for these breeds is ‘Landshark.’
However, dog owners should remember that any breed can cause a serious dog bite injury. Regardless of the furry animal the person has, it can still be involved in a Los Angeles dog bite case and require medical attention.
The false idea of trying to make people believe that there are dangerous dog breeds and that these are the ones responsible for dog bite cases has severe consequences. It would help if you didn’t think that this is true in most cases. Any breed can be behind dangerous dog bite attacks and deaths. This is because their aggression is mostly the owner’s fault, not the dog’s.
Sure, there are rare cases of a stray dog killing or maiming children. Still, with few exceptions, the dog’s owner is responsible for paying any money to right this situation, including the emergency medical treatment and, in some cases, emotional trauma. Our contingency fee basis lawyers will ensure all liable parties are held accountable civilly and by pursuing criminal charges for the wrongful death damages suffered.
Dog Attacks Can Happen Anywhere
Dog bite statistics show that these issues can happen anywhere, at any time. Furthermore, many cases involve pets our clients already know, which might worsen the situation. However, you should remember that the California dog bite law protects victims, especially if you have sustained serious injuries. But the insurance company may try and avoid liability, so to protect your rights to compensation, it makes sense to call a Los Angeles, CA lawyer on our compassionate team immediately.
A victim’s injuries can completely change their life during this difficult time treating with doctors and taking time off work to care for your child as they recover. Thus, filing a dog bite claim and hiring an attorney might be the ideal way to proceed after you’re in this traumatic situation until the final settlement or trial over your legal rights.
What You Should Do if a Dog Bites Your Child
When you or your child suffers a dog bite injury, you might not know what to do immediately, especially if the dog owner was someone you know and love – they might feel guilty, apologize, etc.
Regardless of whether or not you know them, if you or your child are a dog bite victim, you should follow the following suggestions:
Get a Doctor
Firstly, you need to find a doctor to treat the wounds. This is an essential step, especially if your dog bite claims are on your mind. You might be considering whether or not to file one.
Most dog bites have serious consequences, for example, broken bones. Thus, regardless of whether you’re in Los Angeles or any other part of California or the US, you must find a healthcare professional to help you. If you’re filing a claim for your dog bite incident, getting a physician to treat the injuries is also crucial because you can use these records as evidence.
Gather Evidence
Aside from remaining calm and getting the doctor’s notes and records of your serious injuries, you should take pictures of what happened to you. You should also set aside copies of your medical expenses, and torn or bloody clothing remains for inspection by animal control, the district attorney, or other Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies.
If you suffer psychological consequences, going to a therapist or psychiatrist might be necessary, and their diagnosis and records are also evidence to support your dog bite case. Our most experienced attorney can help with this process and forward everything to the insurance provider handling your claim over the vicious dog.
Hire a Lawyer
Are you or your loved child permanently scarred even though you had immediate medical attention? A Los Angeles dog bite attorney is the best professional to hire for legal services regarding dog bite cases, including those involving dangerous breeds. These Southern California experts can evaluate your case, help you gather more evidence, put everything together, and ensure you get the best outcomes possible throughout the legal process.
When you hire a Los Angeles dog bite lawyer, you get legal assistance from a professional who knows what they’re doing with an unfamiliar dog attack case on a child. Thus, don’t hesitate to take advantage of the free consultation law offices offer and get to know your possible to-be attorney.
Why Hiring an Experienced Lawyer Is the Ideal Move
Hiring a Los Angeles dog bite lawyer is always the best idea. Even though they can’t guarantee you’ll get the settlement you want, your chances of getting it tremendously increase when you have their help.
Dog bite lawyers help you make sense of the evidence, negotiate with the insurance company, and ensure the dog’s owner pays for their negligent actions. Once you get your fair settlement, you can pay for the medical bills and treatment and get your life back.
Dog Bite Attorneys Can Help You
An experienced dog bite lawyer in Los Angeles understands what you’re going through and knows that you must deal with the dog’s owner and an insurance company responsible to cover the victim’s dog bite injuries.
These professionals have years of experience with dog attack cases and specialize in personal injury, so they know that dogs sometimes attack because their owner is negligent. In these cases, you deserve to get compensation to pay for your medical bills.
With the help of an experienced dog bite attorney in Los Angeles, you can gather the evidence for your case and make sure that the negligent pet owner gets the justice they deserve for their actions.
Ehline Law Firm – An Office with Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers
Los Angeles is a big city offering many personal injury attorneys, but no legal office is like Ehline Law Firm. Our work stands out because we are committed, passionate, goal-driven, enthusiastic, and empathetic, and we want to help you get the best outcomes possible.
If you want experienced lawyers to help you get fair compensation and ensure that the negligent pet owner pays for what they did, contact us, get a free consultation, and we’ll help you handle your California dog bite case and recover compensation when a dog bite occurs.
