A Houston dog bite lawyer helps individuals who were bitten by dogs in public places or lawfully on private property. An attorney will investigate a dog bite incident to determine whether the dog bite victim was attacked due to negligence, such as an unsecured yard, a dog was on the loose in a public place, or other forms of negligence, and will help the injured party file a claim and negotiate a fair settlement from the insurance provider. If you were attacked by a dog due to the negligence of the dog’s owner, you may be entitled to compensation. A dog bite lawyer at the Ben Dominguez Law Firm can investigate the incident and help you pursue compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. At the Ben Dominguez Law Firm, our legal team knows how to investigate this type of incident to identify the liable party and prove that their negligence resulted in the attack and your subsequent damages. Let the Houston dog bite lawyers at the Ben Dominguez Law Firm handle every aspect of your case while you focus on your recovery and moving on with your life.
The most important steps to take after a dog attack in Houston,Texas, include identifying the dog’s owner, reporting the attack, documenting the scene, gathering evidence, following medical advice, and contacting a dog bite attorney.
If you sustained a severe dog bite seek immediate medical attention. Call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room. Even a minor bite can become infected, so it’s important to clean and treat the wound promptly.
Try to identify the dog’s owner. Obtain the owner’s name, contact information, and any information about the dog, including its rabies vaccination status. If the owner isn’t available at the time of the incident, gather information from any witnesses.
Report the incident to animal control or law enforcement. Provide details regarding the incident, the dog, and the dog’s owner. This will create an official record of the incident.
Take photos of the scene where the attack occurred. Take photos of the dog, any visible injuries, and the surroundings. Doing so can help your dog bite attorney prove liability.
Gather evidence related to the attack, such as torn clothing, bloodied items, and other evidence. Take photos of the scene of the incident, the dog’s yard - focusing on how the dog escaped, your injuries, and the dog, if possible.
If you believe the dog’s owner was negligent, speak with a Houston dog bite attorney as soon as possible. They can provide legal advice, assess the situation, and help you pursue compensation for medical expenses and other damages.
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Common dog bite injuries sustained in Houston, Texas, include soft tissue damage, lacerations and tears, fractures, infections, scarring and disfigurement, and psychological effects.
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Bites can damage muscles, tendons, nerves, and ligaments. This damage can potentially lead to long-term impairment or loss of function.
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An animal attack can cause cuts and tears in the skin, which may require stitches or surgical repair.
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Severe bites might cause fractures or breaks in bones. This type of serious injury can require surgery, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and ongoing medical treatment.
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Dog bites are susceptible to infection, which can result in conditions like cellulitis or, in extreme cases, rabies.
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Severe bites may cause permanent scarring or disfigurement. These injuries often require cosmetic or reconstructive surgery.
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Being attacked by a dog can lead to psychological trauma, resulting in anxiety, fear, and other symptoms associated with PTSD.
A Houston dog bite attorney can help you with your claim by investigating the incident, interviewing witnesses, consulting with experts, negotiating with the insurance company, and filing a lawsuit, if the insurance company refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer.
Other ways a Houston dog bite lawyer can help are listed below:
Your Houston dog bite attorney will conduct an in-depth investigation to determine how the incident occurred and which party was responsible. They will help you identify the dog’s owner, if they were not present at the time of the incident, take photos of the scene of the incident, photos of your injuries, and contact the local animal control agency to learn whether the dog has a history of aggressive or vicious behavior. They will also gather evidence such as video surveillance footage, your medical records, medical bills, pay stubs, and other evidence that can support your claim.
Your attorney will interview any witnesses to learn how the incident occurred. This type of unbiased testimony can help strengthen your claim.
Your attorney will interview any witnesses to learn how the incident occurred. This type of unbiased testimony can help strengthen your claim.
Your attorney will work closely with experts to establish liability, determine the severity of your injuries, and accurately calculate damages. Experts can include economists, surgeons, life care planners, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and forensic accountants.
An insurance company may be quick to contact you and make a settlement offer. These settlement offers are usually never enough to cover the total cost of your losses. When you hire a Houston dog bite lawyer at the Ben Dominguez Law Firm, they will take over all communication with the insurance company, including settlement negotiations. An attorney on our legal team has extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies and is familiar with the tricks and tactics that claims adjusters try to use to deny a claim or minimize payout. If the insurance company refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer, they will be prepared to file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.
If settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, your Houston dog bite lawyer will file a lawsuit and prepare your case for trial. During this time, they will continue to negotiate with the insurance company. However, if the insurance company still refuses to make a reasonable settlement offer, your trial-tested attorney will be prepared to fight for your right to fair compensation in court. During this challenging time, your Houston dog bite lawyer will handle every aspect of your case to establish liability and prove your demand for fair compensation, allowing you to focus on recovering from your injuries and moving forward with your life.
Texas dog bite laws every dog owner should know includes the one bite rule, strict liability, and comparative negligence.
"One Bite" Rule
Texas follows a “one bite” rule. This rule means that the dog owner might not be held liable for the first bite the dog inflicts on someone if there’s no prior history of aggression or knowledge of the dog’s dangerous tendencies.
Strict Liability
A dog owner can be held responsible for damages if their dog injures someone, either by biting or attacking, and is known to be dangerous or vicious.
What is Comparative Negligence?
Comparative negligence means that if the injured person shares some fault in the incident, their compensation might be reduced by their percentage of fault.
Modified comparative negligence can affect the compensation you can recover after a dog bite incident in Houston, Texas if you are found partially liable for the incident. If you are found more than 50% responsible for the attack, you will be unable to recover any compensation for your losses. You may be found partially at fault if you provoked the dog, ignored warning signs, failed to take safety precautions, or entered private property without permission. If you are found partially responsible for the attack, the judge, jury, or claims adjuster will assign you a percentage of fault. Your settlement or award will be reduced based on your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20% at fault for the incident, your settlement or award will be reduced by 20%.
Who can be held liable for a dog attack in Houston will depend on factors such as whether the dog was on public or private property at the time of the attack, and whether the dog has a history of biting. In most cases, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance provider will be held liable for damages. If the dog’s owner does not have homeowners insurance, your Houston dog bite lawyer can file a lawsuit against them and hold them directly responsible for all dog-bite related damages.
The amount of compensation you can recover after a dog bite in Houston, Texas, will depend on the severity of your injuries, insurance policy limits, your level of fault, how much time you missed at work, and other variables.
A Houston dog bite lawyer at the Ben Dominguez Law Firm calculates damages by adding up the total cost of your medical bills, lost wages, the value of any personal property destroyed during the attack (cell phone) to determine the total value of economic damages.
To determine the cost of non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, your attorney will use the per diem method or the multiplier method.
Per diem.
With the per diem method, your Houston dog bite lawyer will assign a specific dollar amount, multiplying it by the number of days you experienced pain and suffering or the number of days it took you to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Multiplier method.
Using the multiplier method, your attorney will add up the total cost of your economic damages and multiply them by a number ranging from 1.5 to 5.
The damages you can pursue after a dog bite in Houston, Texas, will depend on the unique circumstances surrounding the incident. In some cases, a dog bite victim can pursue compensation for:
Pain and suffering
Past and future medical costs
Personal property damage
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium
Lost wages
Loss of earning capacity
Scarring and disfigurement
Emotional distress
Pain and suffering
Past and future medical costs
Personal property damage
Loss of enjoyment of life
Loss of consortium
Lost wages
Loss of earning capacity
Scarring and disfigurement
Emotional distress
The statute of limitations in Houston, Texas, for dog bite lawsuits is two years from the date of the incident. If you fail to file a lawsuit within this time frame your case will be dismissed and you will be unable to pursue compensation for your injuries or other losses.
If you were involved in a dog bite incident, contact the Ben Dominguez Law Firm today. Our dog bite lawyers can help you pursue the compensation you’re owed and hold the negligent dog bite owner responsible for the harm you have suffered.
At the Ben Dominguez Law Firm, our legal team will work tirelessly to help you obtain the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more.
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If you were involved in an accident in Houston, TX, that was caused by the negligent, reckless actions of another, a Houston personal injury lawyer at the Ben Dominguez Law Firm can help. We understand how devastating the aftermath of an accident can be, especially if you’re recovering from severe injuries, and we want to help you obtain the justice and compensation you deserve.
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