San Jose Animal & Dog Bite Lawyer

Nobody expects to be attacked by a dog or to have their child bitten by a family pet. Yet dog bites are actually quite common, and in a large percentage of cases involve dogs that are known to the person attacked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more dog bites involve known animals as opposed to those that are strangers. In fact, many dog bite cases involve the victim’s own pet, and owning a dog increases the likelihood that you will experience a dog bite, compared with the likelihood if there were no dog in your home. When another person’s dog bites and causes harm, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Although it might feel contentious to seek compensation from a neighbor or co-worker after a dog attack, it is important to get the compensation you need. Contact our experienced San Jose animal & dog bite lawyer today.

Getting the Facts About Animal & Dog Bite Injuries in San Jose

How often do dog bite injuries occur, and are there any known risk factors? Consider the following facts from the CDC and DogsBite.org:

• Annually there are approximately 4.5 million dog bites in the country;
• Not all dog bites are serious, but many are, and approximately 800,000 people who are bitten each year require treatment in an emergency department or hospital;
• About half of all dog bite injuries affect the arms or the hands, although bites involving very young children commonly affect the head and face;
• Only about 15 percent of dog bite cases each year involve stray dogs, while the rest of the reported cases involve pets;
• Pit bulls are responsible for the highest number of fatal attacks, although many experts emphasize that dog bite risks are not breed-specific;
• Children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old are most likely to sustain a fatal dog bite;
• Fewer than 1 percent of all dog bite injuries are fatal; and
• California has one of the highest rates of dog bite injuries in the country, based on insurance data.

Who is Responsible for Animal & Dog Bite Injuries in San Jose?

Under California law, dog owners are strictly liable for injuries. What does this mean?

In short, you do not have to prove that a dog owner was negligent in order to hold them accountable, and you do not need to prove that there was any evidence that the dog was dangerous. Merely owning a dog that bites is enough for the owner to be liable. The only exceptions are cases in which the bite victim was trespassing on the property or provokes the animal.

Let Our San Jose Animal and Dog Bite Lawyers Help

Were you bitten by a dog, or did your child sustain a dog bite injury? If you or someone you love got hurt in an animal attack, you might be able to file an injury claim. As we indicated above, California is a strict liability state, which makes it easy to obtain compensation after a dog bite injury. The attorneys at Venardi Zurada LLP can answer any questions you have about dog bite cases and your options for filing a claim. Contact our experienced San Jose animal & dog bite lawyer today.

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