North County San Diego Injury Lawyers
If you or your child recently sustained injuries because of a dog bite in Rancho Bernardo, what steps do you need to take in order to heal and to seek financial compensation for your losses? Dog bites can be devastating, and their severity can range widely. Children often suffer more serious and deadly injuries in dog attacks, but serious dog bites can result in debilitating injuries regardless of age. After a dog bite injury, it is important to take the following steps.
- Seek Medical Attention
First, you should treat the dog bite wound and get medical attention if necessary. You should clean the area, and you should apply pressure before you can be treated in an emergency department. Depending upon the severity of the dog bite, you may require stitches or surgery. Most dog bites also require an antibiotic in order to prevent a serious infection.
- Gather Information About the Dog and Its Owner
While your health should be the most important matter after a dog bite, you should also be sure to document the injury and to gather information about the dog and its owner. It will be important to have insurance information for the dog owner, as well as details about the dog’s medical history and whether it has had its shots. You will need this information for follow-up medical care, and it will also be important to have for the claims process.
- File a Police Report
You should file a police report so that there is a record of the animal attack. The police report can become part of your dog bite case later on.
- Seek Help from a Rancho Bernardo Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
You should seek help as soon as you can from an experienced Rancho Bernardo dog bite attorney. The process of filing a dog bite claim and gathering necessary documentation can be complicated, and it will be important to have an advocate on your side who can help.
- File a Dog Bite Claim
Finally, you should file a claim for financial compensation. Under California dog bite law, the “owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the dog’s owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.” In other words, as long as you are lawfully on the property when the dog bite occurred, and as long as you did not intentionally provoke the dog, the owner of the dog will be strictly liable for your injuries in a dog bite claim.
Contact Our Rancho Bernardo Dog Bite Attorneys
Were you bitten by a dog? If you sustained injuries as a result of a dog bite, one of our Rancho Bernardo dog bite lawyers can help you to seek financial compensation. Contact the Walton Law Firm today to learn more about how we can assist you.
See Related Blog Posts:
Can I File a Lawsuit if I Sustained Dog Bite Injuries in Escondido?
How a New California Law Could Impact Dog Bite Cases in Encinitas
