A dog bite can create immediate medical concerns and longer-term financial consequences. Treatment may interrupt your ability to work, while scarring or physical limitations can continue after the wound has healed. A San Jose dog bite lawyer from our firm can determine how state law applies to the attack and pursue compensation for your losses.
Our personal injury attorneys can also handle communications with the insurance company while you focus on recovery. Dunnion Law has represented injured people for over 50 years. We approach dog bite claims with the goal of preventing insurers from minimizing legitimate injuries or taking advantage of someone who is dealing with the aftermath of an attack.
State law holds a dog owner liable when their animal bites someone in a public place or lawfully on private property. Under California Civil Code § 3342, you do not have to prove that the dog previously bit someone or that the owner knew it was dangerous.
Even with that statutory rule, the facts surrounding the incident still matter. Our San Jose attorneys can examine who owned the dog, how the bite occurred, and whether the circumstances satisfy the requirements of the law. Establishing responsibility is only one part of the claim because you must also document the damages caused by the bite.
The location of an attack can be important because the state’s dog bite statute distinguishes between people who are lawfully on property and those who are not. A bite that happens while you are visiting a residence, performing authorized work, or otherwise legally present can raise different issues than an incident involving disputed permission to enter.
When our dog bite lawyers handle a claim, we investigate the circumstances surrounding the San Jose property and preserve evidence that clarifies why you were there. Photographs, witness accounts, and contemporaneous reports can help establish what happened. Careful documentation can be especially important when an insurer attempts to dispute a basic fact that affects liability.
An insurer may accept that a bite occurred while still disputing how much compensation the injury justifies. It may question the extent of medical treatment or argue that continuing symptoms are unrelated to the attack. Recorded statements and early settlement offers can also affect how the claim develops before you fully understand the consequences of your injury.
Our proactive San Jose lawyers can respond by organizing the evidence around the losses the dog bite actually caused. Compensation may address:
We can evaluate the insurer’s position and determine whether a proposed resolution accounts for the documented effects of your injury without promising a particular result.
A dog bite claim involves more than showing that an animal caused an injury. Ownership questions can affect liability, and the circumstances of your presence on the property can also matter. A San Jose dog bite lawyer from our firm can evaluate those issues and develop a strategy based on the evidence available in your claim.
Dunnion Law has been operating since 1975, and we bring that experience to each stage of a personal injury case. We can assess the legal issues that affect your claim and address insurance arguments as they arise. Contact us today to discuss what happened and determine your next steps for pursuing compensation.
