Dog Bite Attorney Legal Guide for Injury Victims
Owners of dogs have a duty to ensure that their animal does not harm people. Unfortunately, some dog owners fail to take the steps necessary to train their dog. Even worse, some dog owners know their dog has a propensity for violence, but take no steps to properly restrain the dog. Although anyone can be at risk for a dog bite attack, the majority of dog bite victims are children.
Board Certified Personal Injury attorney Aaron A. Herbert has successfully handled cases protecting the rights of innocent victims of vicious dog bite attacks. If you or your loved one has been injured by a dog, Contact a Fort Worth dog attack lawyer for a free consultation.
Common Injuries Resulting from Severe Animal Attacks: Some of the most common injuries associated with animal attacks are as follows:
- Facial Scarring and disfigurement
- Nerve damage – paralysis and in severe cases spinal cord injury and paraplegia
- Eye injuries – K9 trauma sustained to the eye
- Severe infections including rabies, pasteurella and hepatitis
- Amputation of the limbs fingers and nose
- Brain injury due to trauma sustained to the head
- Broken bones and knee ligament injuries from falling down due to an attack
- Emotional trauma – individual victims frequently experience bouts of sustained port traumatic stress (PTSD), depression, and anxiety
Compensation Available for Victims: Victims of serious injuries inflicted by the negligent or intentional acts of others are entitled to full and just financial recovery. The settlement amount in a personal injury case including dog bite claims is based on several factors including
- The severity of the injuries suffered.
- The permanence of injuries – requiring future medical costs, rehabilitation expenses and revision surgeries for permanent scarring and disfigurement.
- Level of pain and suffering – in the state of Texas victims injury are entitled to compensation for the emotional trauma suffered as a result of their injuries.
- Lost time at work – resulting in lost wages and or loss of future income due to permanent injuries or disabilities
- Punitive damage – Punitive damages can be awarded in instances where the individual responsible for the K9 acted with either an intent to cause harm to acts in reckless disregard for the health and safety to others.
DOG BITE LIABILITY – HOMEOWNERS POLICY:
According to recent reports dog bites account for one on three claims filed against homeowners insurances amounting to over $500 million in compensation paid by insurance companies to victims. As a result of mounting claims many insurances carriers have created carve out exceptions for specific breeds; in particular those with a high propensity of attacking individuals. Examples of breed specific carve outs include Pit-bulls, Rottweilers, and Doberman. In some instances insurance companies have been known to create carve out expectations for all breeds. Despite the recent trend to carve out such claims the vast majority of homeowners insurance policies still cover dog bite claims against innocent homeowners.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR FILING CIVIL INJURY LAWSUIT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS:
Generally victims if serious injuries including dog bites have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim in Texas. Minors, individuals under the age of 18 have two years from the date of their 18th birthday to file a personal injury claim. Failure to file a claim in a timely manner may extinguish a victims right to compensation under the law.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a dog attack in San Antonio or other Texas city, Board Certified Attorney Aaron A. Herbert can help. Attorney Aaron A. Herbert has helped dog bite victims hold negligent parties accountable for recklessness or wrongdoing. Please do not wait to contact us if you or someone you care about has been involved in an animal attack. There is a specific amount of time in which you can take legal action and you do not want to forfeit your rights by waiting too long to speak with a lawyer.
Contact Us today for a free, confidential consultation.
