Granada Hills Dog Bite Lawyer

Dogs are widely thought of as friendly, loyal, loving companions to humans. However, if things go awry and a bite or other attack occurs, the victim may find themselves facing catastrophic injuries or death at the hands of these powerful creatures. The experienced Granada Hills dog bite lawyers at Walch Law understand you’ve suffered severe trauma and will fight for you to get the money you deserve and a sense of closure so you can focus on getting your life back to normal. Robert and Gary have 50 years of experience representing victims like you and have a 98%+ success rate, so call today to schedule a free initial consultation and get started!

Granada Hills Dog Bite Risks

Granada Hills, a city of 52,366 in Los Angeles County’s San Fernando Valley, is home to many dogs. A pleasant climate, a large number of homes and residences large enough for them to live comfortably, and the large number of parks, dog parks, walk-friendly areas, hiking trails, and dog-friendly businesses make owning a furry friend convenient and make it easy to take your pet in public for exercise and companionship. It also makes encountering a dog when going about your day in Granada Hills a common experience. However, even friendly dogs can bite if they are startled or feel threatened – however wrong they may be about someone’s intentions towards them. The Public Health Department in the area reported that injury-causing animal attacks pose a significant health problem.

Steps to Take If Bitten by a Dog

If you’re the victim of a dog bite in Granada Hills, it’s important to take actions that will help you recover physically, protect others from a potentially dangerous animal, and strengthen your personal injury claim for compensation.

• Get immediate medical attention and a rabies test. Bite wounds contain a lot of bacteria and are prone to infection without medical treatment. Medical treatment can provide important documentation regarding when and how severely you were hurt.
• Get as much information as you can about the dog, the owner, circumstances surround the bite, and, if the bite occurred on the owner’s property, their homeowner’s insurance information.
• If possible, photograph the bite, the scene where the bite occurred, and the animal involved. If the dog was a stray, take a photograph if possible or write down a physical description.
• Notify animal control and give them a detailed statement about the incident.
• Get legal help from an experienced Granada Hills dog bite lawyer.
• Do not apologize, admit fault, give recorded statements, speculate about your injuries, or say you’re “okay” or “fine” when asked how you are.
• Avoid posting about the incident or your lawsuit on social media.

Is the Dog’s Owner Liable?

In Granada Hills, dog owners are usually strictly liable for any harm their dog causes – this means they do not have to act negligently to be held liable for your injuries. To apply strict liability, you must prove:

• The defendant owned the dog in question
• The bite occurred on public property or when you were legally present on private property
• You were injured

Some exceptions to strict liability apply which then make it necessary for you to prove the owner acted negligently in order to hold them liable. Exceptions include:

• Provoking a dog
• Trespassing on private property when bitten
• Bites sustained by a military or law enforcement dog during performance of its duties

What Can I Recover for My Dog Bite Injuries?

Once you establish that a dog owner is liable for your injuries, you may be entitled to an award of damages for your provable injuries. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be able to recover compensation for injuries such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Hospital bills
• Funeral costs or burial expenses
• Lost income
• Lost future earning capacity
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of consortium
• Permanent disability, disfigurement, or scarring

Speak to a Lawyer Today

It’s understandable you may be overwhelmed and confused after a vicious dog bite or animal attack. You’ve already taken the first step on your road to compensation and closure by finding the experienced Granada Hills dog bite lawyers at The Walch Group. As soon as you hire us, we’ll start fighting for you to get the most money possible as quickly as possible. We understand the stress unnecessary delays can cause, so we will work hard get a check and a sense of closure rapidly. Call us today to schedule a free consultation and learn why Robert and Gary are the attorneys you want in your corner.