Can A Hotel Be Blamed For A Dog Bite In California?

Staying at a hotel, for any reason, is typically a nice change of pace for guests. If the trip is for a vacation, the mood is always relaxed and seeking fun. Even if the travel is work-related, there is a sense of enjoyment as the hotel staff caters to your needs, cleans your room while you are away, and will even deliver room service to eliminate the hassle of cooking. Most guests view their time in a hotel as an opportunity to forget many of the mundane chores of daily life. We place our trust in the staff and consider them responsible for all that occurs on the property. But what happens when we blame the hotel for things that are out of their control or responsibility?

Unfortunately, some events occur at a hotel beyond their realm of responsibility. But you might not discover this sometimes confusing part of their legal responsibility until you suffer a dog bite while staying at a hotel in California. While your first instinct might be to report it to the hotel management and blame them for the incident, from a legal perspective, the hotel staff, owner, and management are not responsible for the actions of a dog on the property. So you will be unable to take legal action against the hotel in most cases.

However, the team at Normandie Law Firm is here to help you understand strict liability and how the dog’s owner is responsible for the dog’s actions and any damage it causes. Please get in touch with the Normandie Law Firm office 24/7 for a free consultation to discuss the details of your dog bite and how you can move forward to secure the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering, as well as your losses. Our experts have decades of experience handling personal injury cases involving a dog bite in California and seeking the justice our clients deserve.
Who Is Ultimately Responsible For A Dog’s Actions?
California is a strict liability state when discussing the finer points of a dog owner’s responsibility. The best way to visualize this concept is that as a dog owner, you are responsible for any damage your dog causes in a public place. So keeping your dog on a leash is actually in your best interest when walking down the street, in a park, or at the beach. In addition, this responsibility carries over to private locations as well.

A dog owner is responsible for the dog’s actions against anyone on private property legally. The person injured by your dog could be a resident, renter, tenant, guest, or service person visiting the property. As long as they have permission to be on the private property, there also have the right to hold a dog owner responsible if they suffer a dog bite. The only time the dog owner is not facing a challenge when their dog bites someone on private property is if the victim of the bite is on the property illegally or without permission. So, if a person breaks into your home or hotel room, you are not negligent in allowing your dog to bite the invader.

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How To Handle A Dog Bite At A Hotel In California
As a hotel guest, you should certainly notify the staff after suffering a dog bite on the premises. They could have a specific protocol regarding the dog and its owner. In addition, they need to be made aware of a potentially dangerous animal on the property. But they are not the responsible party whom you will be able to sue for your injury, expenses, pain, and suffering.

The priority after any dog bite is to seek medical attention. Any bite that breaks the skin has a high potential of becoming infected and even life-threatening if not treated properly. So gather contact information from the dog owner and any witnesses of the dog bite incident, then seek medical care to ensure your safety and health.
A Dog’s Mouth Is Not Clean
It comes as a shock to many dog bite victims that there are many issues related to infection and contamination, even if the dog is healthy. Everyone has heard stories of a dog bite victim when the concern was rabies. However, some other bacteria and germs are present in every dog’s mouth that can create a severe infection. The two most common concerns after rabies include:

• Cellulitis
• Strep and Staph

Both of these infections can become life-threatening in less than a week if left untreated. Redness, swelling, and seeking puss from a dog bite are all signs of an infection that requires immediate medical treatment.
Deciding When To File A Lawsuit
Getting bit by a dog at a California hotel, motel, hostel, or AIR BNB can be traumatic. So it is essential for victims to understand they have time to make a significant decision regarding a lawsuit against the dog’s owner. The dog bite personal injury experts at Normandie Law Firm are here to help you understand your rights as a personal injury victim and how to move forward to get the compensation that is owed to you.

The Statute of Limitations on most personal injury cases in California is two years from the date of the incident. Therefore, in the case of a dog bite, you have two years to file a claim against the dog’s owner to recover the cost of your medical care, lost wages, and other expenses related to the dog bite. However, we recommend you call our office as soon as possible to schedule your free consultation with a personal injury lawyer.

The sooner you understand your legal rights and how to protect them, the easier it will be to ensure that you retain your ability to sue the dog’s owner. The meeting is free and will provide you with the information you need to understand how accepting money from the dog’s owner or making any agreements immediately could result in an inability to sue for your full damages later,
How Long Does It Take To Complete A Lawsuit?
Each lawsuit is unique because it is based on facts and information specific to your case and injuries. The severity of your wounds, the time needed for you to recover, the actions of the dog’s owner, and the workload of the court all impact how long the case will remain in the hands of the court. However, know that your dedicated legal team at Normandie Law Firm will work to keep the case moving forward as quickly as possible.

We understand that after the upsetting events of your dog bite, you want to move forward as quickly as possible. Healing and putting the expenses and trauma behind you is the best way to return to your routine and happy life. And your legal team at Normandie Law Firm will work daily to see that justice is served and that you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries, losses, and suffering.

How Much Is A Dog Bite Lawsuit Worth?
The dog bite experts at Normandie Law Firm will help you understand your lawsuit’s possible value. However, there is no way to accurately predict the amount until gathering a great deal of information from you. Each lawsuit amount is awarded based on the victim’s losses and expenses. So we will need to calculate what the dog bite injury has cost you, including:

• Your current and any future medical bills for the care of the injuries
• The amount of any lost wages if you were unable to work or missed work for medical appointments
• The cost of your legal representation by Normandie Law Firm

There is also the option to request added compensation for your pain and suffering as a result of the dog bite and any necessary treatment, surgery, or therapy and rehabilitation.
We Never Ask For Up Front Payments
Working with personal injury victims regularly, the staff at Normandie Law Firm understands the financial hardship an injury can create. You face medical bills, possibly while you cannot work, and still need to pay your daily living expenses. That added stress can be very harmful and even slow your healing and recovery process. So we pledge never to ask for payment for our services until we have secured the compensation you deserve.

Your lawsuit settlement or verdict should include money to pay your legal fees. So by waiting to get paid until after you have your settlement, we know you are never forced to struggle to figure out how to p[ay for our services. We believe in the legal system, justice for all, and putting our client’s needs first. And you owe us nothing if we fail to get you a settlement or verdict for your dog bite lawsuit. You never need to worry about owing legal fees out of pocket. We only get paid when we win. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Normandie Law Firm today to learn more about your rights as a dog bite victim and how we will work to protect them.

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