Imagine walking in your Redding neighborhood and suffering a dog bite from an unleashed pet. You end up in the emergency room, require extensive treatment, and now face mounting medical bills in addition to the emotional and psychological trauma of the attack.

More than 4.7 million people in the United States are bitten by a dog yearly, and California leads in many bites. However, fewer than 1 percent of people injured by a dog bite are compensated. You need an experienced Redding personal injury lawyer if you suffer a dog bite because even a mild injury can result in infection.

Obviously, those who suffer dog bite injuries and don’t report them are not usually reimbursed for their expenses. Even though in California, under Civil Code 3342, a dog owner is liable when their pet attacks and injures another person, the animal has never attacked anyone. Except for extreme injuries, settlements are often settled with the owner’s insurance company. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2018, companies paid out around $675 million in claims nationwide that year. California showed the largest number of claims, with an average insurance company payout of $45,543. However, an insurance company commonly offers an initial settlement offer of between 10 and 20 percent of what they would receive if they had a lawyer.

Although a person bitten by a dog may think they can handle the problem themselves, using a Redding personal injury lawyer is better. One of the problems is that the bitten person has no idea what to say to the dog owner to settle a claim and doesn’t know how much they should be paid. After all, if medical care is needed, it is probably unknown what the total expenses are. Also, the dog owner may accuse the injured person of being at fault in the dog attack or precipitating the incident to avoid liability.

Enlisting the help of dog bite lawyers in Redding who are experienced in handling canine attacks is more efficient and causes less stress to the injured person. If a family member or friend is involved, the lawyer can handle the case with this in mind, explaining that no ill will is involved in the claim, just fair compensation that is mutually agreed upon.

There are several reasons why people do not place a claim against a dog owner after being bitten. However, if a bite is severe, requires medical attention, and isn’t the household pet, seeking financial compensation with a Redding dog bite attorney makes sense. This can prevent the financial stress of facing lost wages and medical expenses and reimburses the injured person for their pain and suffering. Some of the reasons people do not file a claim include:

• The bite did not result in a severe injury and doesn’t require medical attention. The problem is that even a tiny animal bite can lead to severe infection.
• The person who was bitten does not realize the homeowner carries insurance to cover injuries of this type. For a renter, rental insurance is required and would cover a bite injury.
• The animal is owned by a family member, neighbor, or friend. Again, insurance covers this type of injury; if the bite is severe, it can cost the injured person a lot of money.

One hundred dog bites happen every hour in the United States, and half of bitten are children. In 2018, an elderly woman from Mount Shasta was killed in her home after being attacked by a family dog. The dog injured her daughter when she attempted to intervene in the attack to prevent the fatality. A male roommate managed to pull the dog off, but it was too late to save the older woman. The majority of dog bite injuries occur:

• In the family home.
• In the home of a friend.
• In the dog’s neighborhood, because the animal has escaped its enclosure or is unrestrained.
• Off-property attacks at dog parks, walking trails, or other locations.
• When walking, the family pet and another dog attack.

Our law firm is experienced in handling dog bite cases and can help you get the compensation you deserve. Our investigators begin by visiting the accident site and talking to witnesses. They may talk to neighbors, the postman or UPS drivers, and others to see other signs that the dog was aggressive. The investigators also spoke to the dog’s veterinarian to ensure the animal was fully vaccinated and to determine whether the vet and office staff had problems with aggression in the dog.

Once the evidence has been obtained, our lawyers negotiate for you with the insurance company. In severe injury cases, taking the matter to court may be necessary to get appropriate compensation for your expenses. As always, you owe nothing until the case has been won.

The following video explains why you should consider hiring a lawyer for your dog bite claim.

If you were bitten by a dog, you might be able to obtain compensation for your injuries. Call our experienced Redding Dog Bite Lawyers at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. See our verdicts and settlements case history.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 8.22.23] Photo Attribution: pixabay.com cd cha [cs 919]}