California Dog Bite Lawyers In Santa Cruz

Were You Bitten And Need A Dog Bite Lawyer?

Are you a victim of a dog bite, and don’t know how to handle the situation? Most people aren’t aware of how to handle it either.

Does the dog belong to a good friend or neighbor?

That’s likely since a vast majority of victims know the dog who bit them or its owner.

Do you feel guilty putting the dog owner through a lawsuit?

That’s normal, but you’re entitled to compensation. No one wants to accuse friends, family, or good neighbors of wrongdoing. However, you’re dealing with doctor visits, doctor bills, and perhaps plastic surgery to minimize and prevent scarring. You might even need a tetanus shot if soil contaminated the wound.

What can I sue for in a dog bite case?

If the dog bite is severe enough to consider suing, it likely means time off work and a huge inconvenience if you can’t walk or use one of your arms. If you experienced multiple bites, hospital time is a distinct possibility.

What To Do If You’ve Just Suffered A Dog Bite

Potentially many players could be involved. You may be dealing with doctors, the police, animal control, and one of our dog attack attorneys. Depending on the severity of your injury, you might call the police or animal control before heading to the emergency room. If the wound is severe, get treated first. Often, you can call the police on the way to the emergency room and explain the situation. Other than the above, this is the order in which you should handle things to minimize damage to yourself.

Step 1. Call animal control so they can control the dog and provide you with a report.

Step 2. Call the police to get a report of the incident from them for the insurance company.

Step 3. Go to the emergency room.

Step 4. Contact us to start working on your case.

Again, if the wound is severe, ignore this list and go to the emergency room first!

Over four million people per year go to the emergency room after a dog bite and with good reason. You can get any of the following infections when bitten by a dog, even if it doesn’t look that deep or severe.

• Rabies
• Capnocytophaga
• Pasteurella
• Tetanus infection

You shouldn’t skip a visit to the E.R., especially if you can’t stop the bleeding, or have a substantial gash you can’t keep closed.

Be sure to take notes, get the doctor’s name, and ask how to get the medical record related to your visit.

Besides physical damage and pain, you might suffer from psychological injuries. You may not realize it yet because you’re likely in shock. After all, you were going about your day. A dog attacked you without provocation; it’s difficult not to experience some trauma.

You might suffer from the following symptoms as well.

• Anxiety
• Nightmares
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Irritability

After the emergency room, your next step is to call us (even while you’re there if you’re able). We believe we’re your best choice as a dog bite lawyer in California. We’ll go above and beyond to get you the best treatment and the highest settlement possible.

We’ll Quickly Work To Protect Your Rights

We’ll refer you to the best doctors so you can heal quickly and as effectively as possible. The purpose of the emergency room visit is to get the wound cleaned and to determine your chances of getting infected. The doctor there will prescribe you an antibiotic if needed. That will depend on the depth of the wound and how well they’re able to clean it.

You’ll need further medical care to avoid or continue to treat any infection, deal with pain, and minimize or prevent scarring.

Whose Fault Is It That The Dog Bit You?

Often, it’s no one’s fault. For some reason, the dog felt threatened—even if you did nothing to provoke the attack. Since the dog can’t communicate, we can’t know what went through its mind.

It might not be the owner’s fault. Sometimes, dogs do things their owners don’t want them to do (though they’re responsible for their dog’s actions).

But is it your fault you now have to deal with the aftermath of their dog biting you? Of course not.

There’s no need for you to get into who’s responsible. Most interactions regarding a dog bite case occur between us as your lawyer, the police, animal control, and the insurance company. You need never interact with the dog’s owner again unless this person is a relative, close friend, or next-door neighbor.

In any case, the settlement isn’t coming out of their pocket, but from the insurance company. There’s no reason for them to be upset with you over asking for compensation for your pain, suffering, inconvenience, and medical expenses.

The Six Steps We’ll Take As Your Dog Bite Lawyer

1. We’ll get you appointments with the best doctors available to treat the injury and minimize infection and scarring.
2. We’ll send a private investigator to take photos and talk to the dog’s owners and anyone else who might have witnessed the incident.
3. We’ll obtain police and animal control reports.
4. We’ll advise the insurance company we’re representing you, and they can expect us to file a claim on your behalf.
5. We’ll file the claim and get the maximum settlement allowable under the homeowner’s insurance policy.
6. You receive the highest settlement allowable under the insurance policy for your injury.

What Will It Cost To Hire A California Dog Bite Lawyer?

Not to worry. We have you covered.

There are NO FEES unless we win. There’s no risk to you.

Your initial consultation is free. There’s absolutely no obligation. This empowers you to receive answers to all your questions about your options without any pressure.

You won’t pay any upfront expenses. There are no attorney fees unless we prevail by negotiating a settlement on your behalf or winning your case in court. We only accept cases we believe we can win. Again, we don’t collect any fees until we deliver payment for your case.

Let’s get started on your claim. Call us or contact us online today. Our lawyers will start working on your personal injury case immediately.