USPS Dog Bite Attorney

California is home to over 32,0500 USPS postal carriers that deliver mail and packages to homes and businesses throughout the state. These are great careers for people who want to be outdoors, enjoy getting copious amounts of exercise, and are willing to brave the various weather conditions over the course of each year. In addition, as a federal employee, the pay rate is generous, as are the benefits. However, one common safety hazard that all USPS mail carriers know they could face at any moment is an aggressive dog that is likely to end poorly for the postal service employee.

In many older communities in the state, the mailbox or letter drop space is at the front door of the home. This requires the USPS staff to walk up to the house, even when the front yard is enclosed by a fence. In most instances, this does not cause any issues. However, when a resident has forgotten and left their dog loose in the fenced yard, the encounter can be very dangerous for the mail carrier. A single dog bite, even one that appears minor and barely breaks the victim’s skin, can result in severe harm due to infection from the germs common to dog saliva. Without proper care, even a minor dog bite can turn into a life-threatening illness, regardless of the dog’s health. So, USPS employees must always be careful and take any dog bite injury seriously.

If you or a loved one work for the postal service and recently suffered a dog bite while at work, you need to know that the dedicated team at Normandie Law Firm is ready to help. Our office staff is just a call away and can immediately begin answering your questions and providing valuable information about worker’s compensation and dog bite injury lawsuits. In addition, we hope that you will take advantage of our generous offer for a free consultation with an exceptional USPS dog bite attorney to evaluate your claim.

Once you have related the details of the dog bite injury incident, our expert will explain the legal merit of the case and if you have grounds for a dog bite injury lawsuit. They can also provide more details on the function of the federal employee’s worker’s comp program. With this vital information, you can begin to make wise and well-informed choices about how to get the help you need and deserve to cover the cost of your medical expenses and lost income if the injuries prevent you from working until you are fully recovered. Also, understand that even after your free consultation with a Normandie Law Firm USPS dog bite attorney, you are never obligated to file a lawsuit or hire our firm, even if you choose to pursue legal action. But please be certain to contact our staff at your earliest opportunity, as there are time limits for you to take action to secure the compensation that is owed to you for the workplace dog bite you suffered.

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Who Is Typically To Blame For A Dog Bite Injury?
In California, the state practices strict liability as related to dog ownership. That means the dog owner is almost always responsible for any harm or damage caused by their dog. They are also tasked with being in constant control of the animal when it is on private or public property and on a leash or loose. The only time a dog owner is not liable for dog bite injuries was when the dog bite victim was trespassing, and the dog was protecting the property, or if the victim was hurting or trying to hurt the dog, and it retaliated to protect itself.

What this means for a UPSP dog bite victim is that you will almost always have the right to seek compensation from the dog owner to cover your expenses and losses caused by the dog bite injuries you suffered when trying to deliver mail. However, there can be one more challenge that will add a level of difficulty in holding the dog owner accountable. In cases where the dog was running loose and could be a runaway or stray, you will face many issues trying to locate the owner to hold them liable for your injuries. In these cases, it can be wise to open a worker’s comp claim to cover some if not all of your expenses and losses until you can locate the owner of the loose dog that bit you.

The Federal Worker’s Comp Program
As a USPS employee, you will need to open your worker’s comp claim with the Federal program that is operated under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. You are entitled to roughly the same benefits as a person covered by the California worker’s comp program; however, the claims process is different. The program will provide coverage for the cost of your medical care and part of your lost income, but it can be more challenging to open and process the federal claim as compared to a standard California worker’s comp claim. The staff at Normandie Law Firm are happy to assist you in opening this claim to ensure the program is notified of the injuries within 30 days of their occurrence as per the program requirements. You will then have up to three years to process the actual claim for the losses and harm caused by your dog bite injury. Even if you choose to file a personal injury dog bite lawsuit, it is wise to notify the Federal worker’s comp program of the incident in case you are unable to locate the dog owner to file a lawsuit.

How Much Is My USPS Dog Bite Injury Lawsuit Worth?
Victims of a dog bite that occurred while on the clock with the USPS must understand that they have the right to sue the dog owner for losses and expenses that they are not claiming under the Federal version of worker’s comp. If you are not opening a worker’s comp claim, then you will be able to sue the dog owner for all allowable losses and expenses you incurred because of the dog bite injuries, which typically include:

• All current and estimated future medical expenses related to your care and rehabilitation from the dog bite injuries
• The cost to replace any personal property that was damaged or destroyed in the dog bite injury incident
• Your legal expenses to prepare, file, and litigate your dog bite injury lawsuit
• Your lost income if the dog bite injuries prevent you from immediately returning to your job at the USPS

If the injuries suffered are severe and your recovery time is estimated to be lengthy, you are also permitted to seek additional compensation for your pain and suffering. This is not a documented amount that can be justified with a bill or invoice, so your Normandie Law Firm legal team will research recently resolved cases with similar details. They will then advise you of a fair and reasonable amount to include as compensation for your pain and suffering.

If you are opening a worker’s compensation claim, please know that you can still file a personal injury lawsuit for compensation that was not reimbursed to you by that program. In most cases, you can seek any lost income not covered by worker’s comp, legal expenses for your lawsuit, the cost of damaged personal items, and pain and suffering in many instances. Please reach out to the expert Normandie Law Firm USPS dog bite attorneys today to learn more about the costs you can include in your lawsuit compensation and how to proceed with this process.

How Long Do I Have To File A Dog Bite Injury Lawsuit?
The time limit established by the legal system to file a lawsuit is called the Statute of Limitations. In the case of a dog bite injury, you have two years from the date of the injury to file the case with the court. If the case is not filed within the time allotted, you will lose the right to seek compensation and justice for the harm caused by that dog bite incident. It is also vital to know that there are very minimal exceptions to this rule that would provide victims with added time to file a claim once the Statute of Limitations has expired. Please do not hesitate to contact Normandie Law Firm today to discuss the time needed to prepare your dog bite injury lawsuit and how long remains to take this critical action.

No Upfront Legal Fees Or Added Stress
When you hire Normandie Law Firm to handle your dog bite injury lawsuit, our staff is ready to start work on any claim with legal merit and never require any prepayments. Instead, the firm only gets paid after the case is resolved, and you have the compensation needed to cover your legal costs and other expenses. This simple and client-friendly policy ensures that all dog bite injury victims have the expert legal resources required to get the compensation owed for the harm they suffered.

In addition, if the Normandie Law Firm USPS dog bite attorneys fail to win your case and deliver that much-needed compensation, you owe the firm nothing. This is our pledge to every client and our commitment to always putting our client’s needs first in everything we do. Please reach out to our expert legal staff today to learn more about your options and how our dedicated USPA dog bite attorneys will work diligently to ensure you get the full compensation owed to you for the injuries and trauma you endured.

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