DOG BITES

San Francisco Injury Lawyers > Dog Bite Injuries

Over 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs annually, with 800,000 of them bitten seriously enough to require medical attention. Each year, roughly 370,000 victims go to the emergency room for treatment of injuries due to being bitten by a dog. Young children - particularly those in the 5- to 9-years-old range - are the most common victims of a dog bite. Children are especially vulnerable to being bitten by dogs because they do not understand the danger involved when a person approaches a dog, even if they have petted or played with the dog before without incident.

In the old days, it was necessary to prove that a dog had the propensity to bite people. This was known as the "first bite free" rule, as the dog was considered safe until it had bitten had least one person. California has changed the law so that the owner of the dog is just as liable for the first bite as he or she is for the dog's second, third, or subsequent bites. However, for someone other than the dog's owner to be liable (legally responsible) for injuries or deaths caused by a dog in his or her temporary possession, it is generally required that the person have knowledge that the dog is dangerous to others.

Many bite injuries occur because the dog is not on a leash and is running free throughout the neighborhood. In California, most cities have ordinances requiring dogs to be on leashes and under the control of their owner (or walker or keeper, as the case may be). The fact that a dog may be trained to obey verbal orders or command signals does not release the owner or walker from the duty to have the dog on a leash.

Dog bites can range from a superficial bite that does not break the skin to a fatal mauling by the dog. In many cases, the dog attacks the victim's face, inflicting severe and disfiguring injuries. The dog may go after the arms and torso of a victim who is trying to protect himself or herself. In many cases, it will be necessary to get a tetanus shot, and if the dog is not current with its rabies shots, the dog will have to be quarantined until it can be tested. If it turns out that the dog that bit the person does indeed have rabies, the victim will have to undergo a series of painful anti-rabies injections to ward off the disease.

Some breeds - especially pit bulls and Rottweilers - are particularly dangerous and responsible for severe injuries, even death, when they attack an innocent person. But even a small dog such as a Pomeranian or Chihuahua can inflict serious injuries, especially upon young children who are especially vulnerable to being bitten by a dog. Almost 80% of the injuries to children bitten by a dog are to their face, neck, and head.

If you have been seriously injured or a loved one killed by a dog's bite or mauling, it is important that you promptly retain an experienced personal injury law firm to represent you. The attorney will want to start a prompt investigation and gather evidence of the incident, including getting statements of witnesses while the event is still fresh in their minds.

San Francisco Injury Lawyers > Dog Bite Injuries

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