What should I do if I get injured or bitten by a dog?

I walked into the yard and there were two vicious dogs chained 2 feet from door. One had broken chain and before I realized it the dog attacked me. It made a hamburger of my lower right leg. No one heard me screaming as the dog continued to bite me several time. I immediately went to emergency room. Instead of calling 911, they waited till they could start their van (which would not start on several attempts) so I was bleeding out for ten minutes. Upon arrival at the hospital, I learned that I was punctured 16 times (5 straight to bone), exposed, broke an artery and fractured my tubular bone. I received 2 surgeries in my 7 day stay at the hospital. I returned home with a home health nurse. They claimed that they do not have insurance. I have more surgery to come. Any thoughts? I need advice on how to go about this. They are trying to return the dog home. I am the 5th person to be attacked. This is the county not city limits any lawyers or someone experienced in this kind of predicament?

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Answered By: Law Office of Jonathan W. Birdt

A lawyer should be able to help you bring a claim. Look for a personal injury attorney in your area. If they are renters, the landlord may have some liability. If they are owners, perhaps they have some equity in the house? If they have a mortgage, they are required to have insurance. You should have options and there is strict liability for dog bites.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 9/21/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Answered By: Slaughter & Slaughter

Absolutely. You need to immediately speak with a personal injury attorney who has experience in handling dog bite cases. A large portion of our firm's cases are dog bite cases throughout California in both State and Federal Courts. I suggest you do not speak to anyone about the case until you have consulted with an attorney.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 9/21/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Answered By: Law Offices of Steven A. Fink

You can and should sue them. They are absolutely liable for the dog bite under the CA Civil Code. If they have no insurance you can go after their personal assets. Makes no difference if county or city.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 9/20/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Answered By: Tomalas Law Firm

It is possible that you have a very good claim/case to pursue against the owner of the dog. In California dog owners are held Strictly Liable for the injuries caused by their dogs. Meaning that the owner of the dog is responsible for your injuries no matter what caused the dog to bite, or whether the dog has bitten others in the past. Generally, a dog owner's homeowner's insurance policy (assuming they have one) extends to cover these types of situations. Based on the fact that (according to your submission) the dog owners claim that they have no insurance, this could be very problematic - and, from a practical perspective, could result in you not having any claim worth pursuing. If there is not insurance to pursue, then your only option is to file a claim against the dog owner personally/individually, and in general it is rare that a person who does not carry homeowners insurance has assets to pursue. Dog bite cases can be quite complex, especially in light of the emotional/psychological aspect of dog bites and the potential for long term/permanent scaring. Please keep in mind that the "value" of your case is not limited to the medical bills which have been incurred, but rather will take into account the numerous ways this incident may impact your life. We have handled hundreds of dog bite cases and are extremely experienced in this area of the law.

Answer Applies to: California
Replied: 9/20/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.