Merced Dog Bite Lawyers

Being the victim of a dog attack or bite can be very traumatic. These dog attacks can often involve children. You or your loved one may have large medical bills, pain, and emotional trauma.

If you or a loved one has been attacked by a dog or another animal, you may be able to make a claim against the dog or animal owner and their insurance company.

Silva Injury Law, Inc. has experience handling dog attacks and dog bite cases. Typically, these cases are covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy.

Our Merced dog bite attorneys are skilled at getting the facts and holding the responsible party and their insurance company accountable for your damages.

Potential Damages That Can Be Recovered In A Dog Bite Injury In California

You can recover the following types of damages, if you were injured in a dog attack that occurred due to someone else’s negligence:

• Damages for past and future medical bills;
• Damages for lost wages;
• Damages for future lost wages, if the injury happens to be permanent;
• Damages for pain and suffering; and
• Damages for mental anguish and loss of consortium.

Economic damages, such as medical expenses and loss of earnings, are relatively easy to quantify as they have a specific financial value. Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering and loss of consortium, are more subjective in value and can make up the biggest part of your claim value in some situations.

While no amount of money will ever make up for the traumatic experience after a serious dog bite or animal attack injury, filing a claim for damages can help ease some of the worry and stress.

To maximize your potential damages, you need to gather all the evidence that supports your injury and the circumstances surrounding the attack. This evidence is important because when calculating dog bite claims, we calculate your economic damages and assign a value (usually determined by multiplying your economic damages by a certain factor that depends on the seriousness of your injuries) to your non-economic ones.

Read: Who are the Best Dog Bite Lawyers in Merced?

Average Merced Dog Bite Settlements

Understandably, injured victims want to know what the average settlement amount is for Merced dog bites. However, there is no typical amount that cases resolve for. Claims are evaluated individually. The amount of your potential settlement depends on the type and severity of your injuries, your total amount of economic damages, whether the defendant is liable, and more. For example, someone who has a bite injury that heals quickly and without any scarring will have a lower case value than someone who needs multiple scar reduction surgeries.

Injury location and your profession can also impact your case value. Someone who is a model and sustains a bite injury to the face with residual scarring could have a higher case value because the injury could keep them from working again.

How Our Merced Dog Bite Lawyers Can Help

Dog bite claims can be complicated, even when the dog owner is clearly liable under the California dog bite statute. Insurance companies look to limit their exposure and will try to minimize the value of your claim. You need an experienced Merced dog bite attorney who can help gather the evidence necessary and handle negotiations with the dog owner’s insurance company. In some cases, it may be necessary to hire experts who can testify as to the extent of your injuries and future treatment.

At Silva Injury Law, we have years of experience helping Merced clients just like you, including for injuries sustained in a dog bite case. We are not afraid to stand up to the insurance companies and take your case to trial if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About California Dog Bite Injuries

Prospective clients typically have a lot of questions about dog bite claims. Here are answers to some of the most common ones to better prepare you for your first meeting with our office.

How Long Do You Have to Bring a Dog Bite Claim in California?

Dog bites are classified as personal injury claims and fall under the two-year statute of limitations. Therefore, you have two years from the date of injury to resolve your claim or file a lawsuit. Failure to file a lawsuit within the deadline means the court could dismiss your case entirely.

What Is the One-Bite Rule? Does It Apply in California?

Some states have a one-bite rule, which is a release of responsibility if the dog has never bitten someone before. Basically, the dog gets one free bite before the owner is liable. However, California is a strict liability state. This means the owner is held responsible regardless of whether the dog displays a propensity for being aggressive or has bitten someone previously.

What Defenses Do Dog Owners Have in a Case?

If you provoked the dog, the owner’s insurance company will say they are not liable. If you were trespassing on private property, they will use that as a defense as well. California’s dog bite statute protects you if you are in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the dog owner’s home.

Contact Our Merced Dog Bite Attorneys

If you sustained injuries from a dog bite, you don’t need to handle your claim alone. Let the experienced Merced dog bite lawyer at Silva Injury Law, Inc. help you. We have years of experience handling these types of claims and a proven record of success.

Our experienced legal team also handles other types of injury cases, including:

• Truck Accident
• Motorcycle Accident
• Sexual Harassment
• Slip and Fall
• Car Accident
• Wrongful Death Claim
• Pedestrian Accident
• Drunk Driving Accident
• Distracted Driving Accident
• Bicycle Accident
• Nursing Home Abuse

Contact our office online or call (209) 600-4389 today to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can help.

Our Merced Office Address

1170 W Olive Ave
Suite G7
Merced, CA 95348
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