Each and every state has enacted its own statues when it comes to dog bites and attacks. If you or a loved one were bitten or attacked by a dog in the state of California, then the state’s laws are in your favor. California is known as a strict liability state. This means that a dog owner is strictly liable for his or her dog’s vicious behavior, even if the animal has no prior history of biting. A dog owner who is legally responsible for an injury to a person or property may be responsible for reimbursing the injured person for:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
While the first three reimbursements are relatively straightforward, compensation for pain and suffering is more difficult to quantify. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of a dog bite claim in 2022 was $64,555, up 31.7% from 2021’s $49,025. The cost skyrocketed despite cases being down more thaan 2%.
However, cases can vary wildly in compensation where pain and suffering occurred, especially in situation where a child is physically and emotionally scarred. Insurance companies and juries place a high value on the psychological effects from any permanent scarring that might result from dog bites on children and females.
Unfortunately, those at the greatest risk of being bitten or attacked by a dog are young children between 5 and 9 years of age. If your child has been bitten by a dog, we urge you to contact an Orange County personal injury lawyer from Cohn & Swartzon as soon as possible.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that approximately 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, with one in five dog bite injuries (approximately 885,000) requiring medical attention. The CDC reports that in 2006, more than 31,000 people had to undergo reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by a dog.
At Cohn & Swartzon, P.C., our extensively experienced legal team is extremely well versed in the laws and procedures that pertain to these types of personal injury cases and have a proven ability to produce highly favorable results for victims and their families to help with the financial and emotional burdens that they are left with. We are dedicated to zealously advocating the rights and interests of our clients and are prepared to relentlessly fight for maximum compensation in your case.
