Dog Attack Lawyers

In modern society, dogs have become much more than household pets. It is no exaggeration to state that many dogs are valuable members of families today.

Once thought of as little more than guardians and protectors, today’s house dogs can be everything from status symbols, to trusted friends, to children’s playmates. According to statistics, American families own more than 75 million dogs as pets. With so many canine companions living amongst us, the prospect of dog bites and attacks is almost inevitable.

Nearly 4.7 million Americans are attacked by dogs each year. As many as 800,000 people require medical treatment for dog bites resulting from those attacks. Of the dog attacks that cause fatal injuries, most of the victims are innocent children.

While most dogs go through life without ever hurting anyone, frightening and traumatic dog attacks do happen. Painful, permanent scarring to the face is a common injury of violent dog attacks.

The San Fernando Valley Dog Bite Attorneys at Lewitt Hackman have extensive experience handling dog attack and dog bite injury cases.

In fact, Lewitt Hackman has represented many letter carriers, and is familiar with the widespread problem facing postal service and other delivery personnel with respect to owners not taking responsibility for their dogs.

California Law Regarding Dogs

California is a strict liability state with respect to dog bites. This means that an owner of a dog is responsible for the damages caused by the dog’s bite, regardless of the lack of any prior problems. Essentially there is no “one free bite” rule. However, many times, others than just the owner of a dog may be liable for a bite. For example, the keeper or harborer of a dog may also be liable.

There are many factors that can contribute to the litigation of these matters, among them the leash laws of the state, municipality, or housing development where the attack occurred. A dog’s disposition and previous incidents should be investigated and taken into account as well when dealing with non-owners, or punitive damages against an owner.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a dog attack, you may be eligible to be compensated for monies lost due to medical bills, time lost from work, and your pain and suffering. Contact the Personal Injury Lawyers at Lewitt Hackman today for a free consultation of your case.

Dial 818.990.2120 or e-mail us now for a free consultation.