Dog Bites Attorney In Placentia, Bellflower, Baldwin Park and Apple Valley

Animal attacks, specifically the ones caused by dogs, is one of the areas that personal injury lawyers in California practice. Dogs have a reputation for being a great pet and are often called “man’s best friend.” While in many cases, a dog does make an excellent pet, there are other cases where people have been bitten by said “excellent” pet without any provocation. Dog bites have the potential to be catastrophic. It can be psychologically damaging to be bitten by a dog. Victims can often have some sort of permanent injury or disfiguring scars if the bite is serious.

If you’ve been the victim of a dog bite, you do have some legal protection. Dog owners, according to California laws, are responsible when their dogs have bitten someone. As per the California’s Dog Bite Statute or California’s dog bite law, section 3342 of the Civil Code, it states that people and other domestic animals would be protected from dangerous dogs.

The law, while set up to protect people from dangerous dogs, knows the owner’s rights as long as they are able to make sure their dogs are not a danger to other people and animals. A responsible pet owner is also required to make sure their dogs are socialized, cared for and trained properly in Baldwin Park, Bellflower, Apple Valley and Placentia. Other conditions of the law are as follows:

  • If the dog has ever committed a vicious act like attacking or biting someone in the past, it must be muzzled and kept on a leash.
  • The owner is liable if the dog bit the plaintiff, not if there were scratches

The above provisions apply if the dog owner is unable to or unwilling to control their canine. You may not know if these provisions apply, which is why it’s recommended you get a good lawyer knowledgeable in personal injury dog bites. Braff Injury Law Firm will aggressively represent you either at the negotiating table or before jury at trial in Baldwin Park, Bellflower, Apple Valley and Placentia.

What To Do If You’ve Been Bitten

Being bitten by a dog is an unpleasant experience that leaves the victim feeling confused and traumatized and unsure as to what steps they should take. The first step to take is get medical treatment, depending on how big of an injury the dog caused. If you need to seek medical attention, make sure you take the proper steps in order to protect yourself and entitled compensation rights.

  • Contact the local law enforcement and report the accident
  • Get the contact information of the dog owner.
  • Make a note of all the details. Record the dog’s appearance, the location of the attack, what type of attack, the actions that lead up to the attack and so on
  • Record your injuries photographically.

Call us today to know about our services, and schedule an appointment to discuss your case with one of lawyers today.