While dogs are indisputably the pet of choice in California, these animals require training and constant supervision to ensure that they do not cause harm to others. Unfortunately, many dog owners fail to take the necessary measures, or assume that their dog would never hurt anyone. The truth is, any dog, no matter how big or small, has the potential to injure someone, whether it’s from a dog bite, trip and fall, or causing the person to fall down while they’re being chased.
Dogs can chase people for many reasons, including acting in defense of their territory or their owner. For example, a dog may run after a burglar that broke into the house. In some cases, the dog is not trying to hurt someone, but they can still cause injuries from being anxious or overly excited. This is particularly true in cases where the person is afraid of the dog, perhaps because of their breed or size. In that case, the person may run away out of fear, and for the dog, this is an invitation to chase after them.
During the course of running from the dog, people can fall down and sustain multiple injuries with devastating consequences. Most people are familiar with lawsuits involving dog bites, but what if the injury came from falling down while you were being chased by a dog?
This article will go over your rights as someone that fell down and got hurt because you were being chased by a dog. For more information on suing for compensation from a dog attack or injury incident, contact DTLA Law Group to schedule a free case review.
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Possible Injuries from being Chased by a Dog
When you are running away from an aggressive dog, it’s more than likely that you will fall down from slipping on or tripping over something. Or, you may fall down from the dog catching up with you and biting you or knocking you to the ground. Either of these situations can cause severe injuries with long-term or permanent complications. Injuries from a dog chase incident include:
- Puncture wounds and cuts
- Facial deformities
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hip fracture
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord or back injury
- Broken tailbone
- Torn ligaments and tendons
- Fractured kneecap
- Dislocated shoulder
- Permanent scars from dog bites, abrasions, etc.
- Infections from open wounds
- Rupturing of internal organs
Please seek medical attention immediately, as some of these injuries can cause serious health complications, even death, if they are not treated right away. Medical records are also needed to prove a case of liability against the dog owner, so don’t delay in going to the hospital if you got hurt while running away from a dog. Once you have received medical treatment, contact our office and learn about your rights from a dog attack lawsuit attorney.
I Fell and was Injured because I was being Chased by a Dog. Can I Sue? Do I have a Case?
Yes, you have the right to file a lawsuit for monetary damages if someone else’s dog caused you to be injured. The liability usually falls on the owner under California law, even if the dog has no previous history of causing injury to others. This is clearly spelled out in California Civil Code Section 3342, which states:
The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.
Suing the Owner for Injuries Caused by a Dog
Your right to sue a dog owner for injuries caused by their pet will depend on the concept of negligence, i.e., a failure to take reasonable care for someone else’s safety. Essentially, you will need to show that the attack by the dog was unprovoked, meaning you did not trespass on private property, harm the dog or owner, or threaten to cause harm to where the dog lashed out in order to protect itself / the owner. These instances are quite uncommon, and this is why owners are generally liable any time their dog bites, knocks down, or commits some other action that results in bodily harm to someone else.
In some cases, you may have grounds to sue a third party, like a dog walker or pet sitter. There are many pet sitting companies and private individuals in California that take care of dogs on behalf of the owner. While the dog is in the care of someone else, it’s that individual’s responsibility to exercise reasonable care, like supervising the dog, having it on a leash, and using a muzzle if the dog has a known history of aggression.
In short, it can be complicated to figure out who is liable for an accident that was caused by an aggressive or unsupervised dog. Consulting a lawyer with experience in dog bites and other pet-related incidents is the best course of action if you have questions about your rights as an injury victim.
Dog Attack or Injury Lawsuit Case Values
Because these incidents can result in multiple injuries to various parts of your body, case values can range from $50,000 to over $2,000,000. When it comes to being attacked by a dog, injuries can include emotional trauma that manifests as PTSD. This can cause the victim to suffer from nightmares, panic attacks, phobias, and other mental health issues that require professional help. Emotional distress is another factor that can affect the amount of compensation if you were chased by a dog and fell down.
Ultimately, how much a dog attack injury victim can receive from a lawsuit has to be determined on a case by case basis. With that in mind, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation if you would like to learn the value of your dog chase injury case.
How Long will it Take to Settle my Case?
Dog owner liability lawsuits can take around 4 to 8 months to settle if the injuries you’ve sustained are relatively minor. But incidents where the victim falls down tend to result in serious harm, especially when an aggressive or excited animal is involved. Due to the extent of bodily harm and the amount of damages, it can take 12 to 24 months for some of these lawsuits to settle. However, we want to assure you that over 95% of all animal attack lawsuits are settled without the need for a trial. If it does become necessary to try your case in court, 3 or more years may be needed to obtain your compensation award.
What is the Time Limit to Sue for being Injured by a Dog?
Those who were bitten or injured by a dog in some other way have 2 years to file a lawsuit, starting from the day they are injured. As the clock starts ticking from the date of the accident, please don’t delay in contacting our office and speaking with one of our legal experts. If you do not take action within the required time and you are past the 2-year deadline, you will most likely lose the right to sue altogether. That’s why it’s important to initiate a dog attack injury claim as soon as possible with help from one of our attorneys.
Contact Our Law Firm
As an injury victim, understanding your rights and legal options is essential to ensuring the best possible recovery after an accident. That’s why you should contact us right away if you were hurt from falling down because you were being chased by a dog.
We never charge victims for the cost of representation, so you pay $0 if you wish to proceed with a lawsuit. It’s the negligent dog owner that pays for our expenses, and that only happens if we win your case. In the event you don’t receive payment from a dog injury lawsuit, there is a Zero Fee Guarantee in place to ensure that you won’t be responsible for any legal fees.
For a free case evaluation with a California dog bite or injury attorney, contact our law firm.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
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I Was Attacked By A Dog But Not Bitten, Can I Sue?
