Lake Forest Dog Bite Lawyers
If you've been bit by a dog in Lake Forest and have concerns about compensation, contact our Lake Forest dog bite lawyers for a free case review. Call 949-203-3814 or request a free dog bite consultation.
There are circumstances in which an owner of a dog might not be held accountable for the dog bite injury. If the animal owner sufficiently warned others that the dog was precarious, and took actions to keep the animal away from people, a person who overlooked the owner's warnings and was hurt by the animal might not profitably sue the owner. In legal terms, the injured person's activities in such circumstances is known as "contributory negligence" or "assumption of the risk." An injured person is lax when he or she fails to implement the amount of care for his or her safety that a sensible person would use under like conditions.
For instance, if a person climbs over a barrier and is bitten by a dog on the other side, a jury should decide not to hold the dog owner legally responsible if they thought that a regular sensible individual would not have climbed over the wall in the first place. To use another instance, if the owner puts up a "Beware of Dog" sign, and a person ignores the sign and snagged by the dog, the owner might not be to blame for that person's injury. If the animal owner is claiming either "assumption of risk" or "contributory negligence," however, the owner has the burden of compelling the jury of these arguments.
An animal owner can also dispute that the injured individual irritated the canine. This way the owner may avoid responsibility. For example, if a person makes a intimidating motion toward an animal, and the animal bites, this could cancel out the owner's burden.
The numbers tell the story
The most recent survey of dog bites, conducted by Center for Disease Control concluded:
- Dogs bite 1.5% of the entire population.
- One out of every 6 dog bites are serious enough to require medical attention.
- The average cost of treatment was $18,200 per patient.
- The patients generally are kids under 5 years old and seniors over 65.
- Americans have a 1 in 50 chance of being bitten by a dog each year.
But, let's look at practical logic:
Any dog in Lake Forest or anywhere else can and will bite in certain circumstances. The tendency for dogs to bite is the product of many factors. Some breeds have a genetic predisposition towards aggressiveness. There are fewer tendencies to bite with early socialization to people, training, quality of care and supervision. Factors that may increase the tendency to bite include maltreatment, behavior of the victim, and others.
Dangerous situations
- Invading any dog's personal space
- Being seen as a threat to the dog's family,
- Being viewed as a direct threat to the dog,
- Creating jealousy with any dog
Absolutely avoid:
- Approaching dogs if they are lying quietly or sleeping
- Approaching dogs directly after entering their area or yard
- Taunting or poking them
- Interacting vigorously with them until they are ramped up and overexcited
DO NOT
- Get your face too near
- Let any canine to run loose and unleashed
- Draw near to any unknown animal
- Taunt any animal
- Alarm any animal
- Upset any animal you find sleeping, eating, or caring for its young
- Go away and leave small children and a dog together and unattended
- Discount warning signals of hostile action:
- Threatened Dogs Often Bite!
- Never run away from or scream at any dog.
- Do not confront the dog by staring it down.
- Stay still if approached by an unknown dog.
- If a dog knocks you down, roll into a ball and do not move.
Yes, there are a great many issues to think about with a dog bite. You should consider calling a dog bite attorney. Even a safe and neighborhood oriented community like Lake Forest has its share of dog bite accidents. If you or a loved one ever incurs a dog bite related accident, call us right away.
If you have been injured in a dog bite accident, then there are options. An experienced, expert dog bite attorney at Bisnar Chase is someone that you will want on your side. Feel free to call us at 949-203-3814 or contact us for a free consultation.
