Dog Bites can cause many different types of injuries. Tearing injuries to the skin and soft tissues beneath are most common and can result in short and long term medical issues. The scarring injuries from dog bites are often in highly visible areas of the body. In these cases plastic surgery (or multiple surgeries) are required to reduce the appearance of resulting scarring. Many of these procedures can be very expensive and may not be covered by insurance.
Luckily, if you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, the dog owner will be liable for your medical bills and other financial damages which result. California is a strict liability state which means that absent some very rare exceptions, the dog’s owner will be liable for any injuries caused by their pet.
Typically, dog bite victims are often children who are familiar or possibly even friendly with the owner(s) of the dog that attacked them. The dog’s owner could be family, a friend or someone from your neighborhood. In many cases, those who are injured from a dog bite are reluctant to pursue a claim for their injuries. It can seem very socially awkward to seek financial damages from a family member, friend or neighbor, but that is what homeowners or renters insurance is for. In reality, any resulting claim or lawsuit would be directed toward the insurance policy itself and not the personal money or assets of the dog’s owner.
My name is Rivers Morrell, and I have represented injured victims for more than 40 years. We understand the nature of the relationships with your family, friends and neighbors. We work to ensure that you have the resources necessary to fully treat the scarring injuries from dog bites your loved one has sustained, while protecting the relationships you may have with the dog’s owner.
If you have been involved in a dog bite or attack, we invite you to review the recommendations of our clients and contact us or call the Law Firm of Rivers Morrell for a free consultation at 949-305-1400 to discuss your injuries and the process of filing a claim for recovery. There is no cost to you out of pocket as we work on a contingency fee basis.
