Get Help with Injuries from Dog Bites and Other Animal Attacks

california dog bite lawyer

The Farzam Law Firm is dedicated to providing those injured by a dog bite or other animal attack with the legal representation and compensation they deserve.

During our years of practice, our attorneys have successfully represented thousands of personal injury cases including animal attacks, resulting in millions of dollars in compensation restored to our clients.

If you have sustained a dog bite or animal injury and wish to litigate, call us at (310) 226-6890 or send an online message for a free case evaluation.

Dog Breeds Commonly Associated with Dog Bite Injuries

87.9 million dogs are kept in the United States as pets, workers, family members, protectors, and service/therapy animals.

The majority of domesticated dogs do not display vicious tendencies or present any threat to strangers.

However, some dog breeds are statistically more likely to be involved in a dog bite incident, such as:

  • Chihuahuas,
  • Jack Russell Terriers,
  • Labrador Retrievers,
  • Pit Bulls,
  • German Shepherds,
  • Rottweilers, and
  • Chow Chows.

Injury Claim – Steps to Successfully Litigate Your Case

Below are some important California dog bite laws which may have a substantial impact on your lawsuit.

City and County Statutes

Different city and local ordinances dictate the statutory liability and fault for a dog bite incident resulting from the failure to abide by local statutes:

  • Santa Monica: A dog must be leashed when traveling to and from off-leash areas, with a leash six feet or less in fixed length. Vicious dogs must be kept out of off-leash areas unless muzzled and on a leash.
  • Beverly Hills: “No person shall own a fierce or vicious dog or a dog that has been bitten by any animal known to have been afflicted with rabies. Any dog found to be vicious or afflicted with rabies shall be destroyed unless otherwise disposed of as provided herein.”
  • Orange County Licensing of Dogs: “Every person owning or having custody of any dog four (4) months of age or older shall procure for the said dog an Orange County dog license. Such license shall be procured within fifteen days”

You are entitled to compensation for the injuries you sustain as a result of those who neglect to follow the law. Failure to abide by these statutes may help prove an individual’s liability in a dog bite incident.

You need a trusted and aggressive personal injury lawyer who will exhaust all legal avenues to ensure the protection of your rights.

Common Injuries From a Dog Bite

Injuries sustained from dog bites can be serious and sometimes fatal. Some of the most common dog bite injuries in Los Angeles are as follows:

Dog Bite Amputations

The pressure applied by a dog’s bite ranges in PSI (pounds per square inch) from 235 pounds (terriers, American bully breeds, shepherds,) to 328 pounds (Rottweilers.) Often a dog will not let go of an object once it has latched on.

The applied pressure, combined with sharp teeth and pulling/yanking motions can lead to injuries necessitating partial (or in severe cases, full) amputations of hands/fingers, arms/legs, ears, nose, lips, and even tongue.

Head Injuries

Because of their small stature, children under the age of 12 are particularly susceptible to head injuries. According to statistics, nearly 65% of dog attack injuries among children were sustained in the head and neck regions.

Such injuries can result in permanent brain damage, nerve injuries, skull fractures, head and neck scarring and disfigurement, and potential reduced cognitive function/ developmental delay.

Infections

Dog bites have a high rate of infection. While some may believe a dog owner’s liability only extends to the initial wound caused by the attack, negligent parties are in fact liable for all subsequent injuries and damages sustained as a result of the original incident.

This includes infections and other medical complications, such as loss of sensation/nerve damage at the site, etc. Some people say that dogs’ mouths are cleaner than humans – this is only true in so much as a dog’s mouth carries fewer viral disease-causing germs than a human’s.

The level and type of bacterial concentration in a dog’s mouth are just as bad as you would expect, carrying the threat of infections like cellulitis, staphylococcus, Pasteurella, and others for those who sustain a bite.

Facial Scarring and Permanent Disfigurements

The crude nature of a dog bite wound means that it can be highly disfiguring, resulting in depression, dysmorphia, agoraphobia, and other psychological consequences.

The resulting wounds need extensive surgery and reconstruction to alleviate the distress felt by victims of dog bites, including plastic/reconstructive surgery, laser scar removal/skin resurfacing, and skin grafts.

Such costly and painful procedures should not be the responsibility of the victim to bear alone; our dog bite lawyers in Los Angeles will ensure that your healing and return to normalcy is facilitated and you are made whole.

Other Injuries you have a right to compensation for

  • Emotional Damage: Pain, suffering, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.
  • Puncture Wounds: As natural carnivores, dogs’ fangs are designed to grip and tear flesh; as such, a dog bite can reach deep into the tissue of a victim. Dogs will almost invariably leave puncture wounds, which are deeper and can cause more nerve damage than more shallow injuries. Sometimes these wounds will need closer monitoring and more treatment than another type of injury.
  • Nerve Damage: The depth of a canine puncture wound can severe or damage the nerves of a limb, leading to partial or complete paralysis or numbness.
  • Spinal Cord Injury: In many instances dogs instinctively bite the neck of a victim, severing the nerves of the spinal cord column and leading to para- or tetraplegia.

If you have suffered from any of the above injuries due to a dog bite, you have a right to compensation. Contact our Los Angeles dog bite lawyers and tell us about your case. We offer free case evaluations.

How a Los Angeles Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help

A serious dog bite can lead to costly medical bills and a lengthy recovery.

Under California Personal Injury laws, a victim of a dog bite incident is entitled to recovery for:

  • Medical costs: encluding emergency room visit and hospitalization,
  • Prescription drug costs,
  • Future medical expenses including future corrective surgery for scarring and disfigurements,
  • Future rehabilitation costs,
  • Lost wages and future loss of income,
  • Pain and suffering including emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder, and
  • Property damage.

Contact a Los Angeles Dog Bite Attorney

Litigating a dog bite case can be difficult due to the expertise required from attorneys, animal behaviorists, and medical practitioners.

At Farzam Law Firm, our dog bite lawyers in Los Angeles have years of experience handling challenging personal injury cases, including those involving dog bites sustained by children and the elderly, brain injuries resulting from dog bites, and dog mauling involving multiple dogs.

In our 15 years of practice, our firm has handled thousands of cases and recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements against all major insurance carriers.

With a dedicated and empathetic legal team, your case is our cause: our goal, like yours, is to see that justice is served and full restitution is made for your injuries and losses.

Our passion for the practice of law ensures that we will litigate your case until proper restitution is achieved and you are made whole. 

Contact us online or call us at (310) 226-6890 for a free case evaluation.