DOG BITES

Our attorneys know dog bite cases. If you have been bitten or otherwise injured by a dog, you may be entitled to a cash settlement for your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost earnings and other expenses. We are aggressive personal injury lawyers who represent injured victims for a contingent fee, which means that we only charge a fee if we win you a judgment or a cash settlement. Call the Levinson Law Group at 1-866-643-HURT (4878) today for a free consultation.

Hiring an attorney experienced in dog bite cases is the smartest thing you can do after a dog attack.

Under the law, dog owners are responsible for the damage their pets cause, regardless of whether the dog owner was negligent or not. If the dog’s owner has a homeowner’s insurance policy, you may be entitled to a cash settlement.

Attorney Gordon Levinson used to work with the largest insurance companies in North America. Now he uses that experience and insider knowledge to represent people who have been injured against the big insurance companies. At the Levinson Law Group, our personal injury lawyers know how to maximize financial recoveries for dog bite victims, and we will fight to get you the justice you deserve.

According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, there are approximately sixty-five million dogs in the United States. There are almost five million dog bite victims every year. An American has a one in fifty chance of being bitten by a dog each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Insurance Information Institute reports that an estimated 800,000 dog bite injuries requiring medical attention occur in the U.S. each year. One thousand dog bite victims need treatment in hospital emergency rooms each day, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of victims of dog bites who need medical attention are children. Nearly half of the children were bitten in the face. The average number of deaths per year from a dog bite was seventeen from 1979 to 1996.

A study done from 1982 to the present shows that the breeds responsible for the most attacks include Pit Bulls, Rotweillers, Presa Canarios and their mixes. In over two-thirds of the cases, the life threatening or fatal attack was the first dangerous behavior by that specific animal. Nearly half of all dog bites involve an animal owned by a victim’s family or neighbor.

The Humane Society recommends several ways to prevent dog bites:

• Spay or neutered dogs are much less likely to bite
• Socialize your dog – introduce them to many different people and situations
• Train you dog
• If you don’t know how your dog will react to a certain situation, be extra careful

Dog Bite Claims

In 2005, the cost of an average dog bite claim was $21,200. Many pet owners can place a liability claim on their homeowner’s insurance to cover these costs. If someone else’s dog has bitten you or someone you know, call the Levinson Law Group at 1-866-643-HURT (4878) today for a free case evaluation.

California Civil Code § 3342 states:

(a) The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness. A person is lawfully upon the private property of such owner within the meaning of this section when he is on such property in the performance of any duty imposed upon him by the laws of this state or by the laws or postal regulations of the United States, or when he is on such property upon the invitation, express or implied, of the owner.

Call the Levinson Law Group at 1-866-643-HURT (4878) to schedule a free consultation today.