HOW MUCH IS MY DOG BITE CASE WORTH?

At Walch Law we are animal lovers but we also know that they can turn dangerous and cause serious injuries. We have been helping victims of dog bites for over forty years and have seen firsthand the major physical and emotional toll this type of serious personal injury can take on a victim. Dog attacks are usually quick but the scars and other issues stemming from the aggressive encounter can last a lifetime. Dog bites are also incredibly common with almost 500 million occurring every single year in the United States. If you are looking for the best Southern California dog bite lawyer, look for one that has experience with these exact types of cases. At Walch Law, we not only know how much your case is worth but how to get it for you too.

HOW MUCH IS MY DOG BITE CASE WORTH?

California Civil Code Section 3342(a) makes a dog owner liable for injuries caused by their dog. Just how much your dog bite case is worth and how much you will actually get for it can be two different things because these cases usually hinge on filing a claim against the homeowners insurance of the dog owner so many dog bite cases, like any personal injury case may be worth more than you actually take home. The general rule of thumb for any major personal injury accident in Southern California or elsewhere is the more extensive the injury and impact on your life, the more your case is worth. Many serious dog bite cases can be worth upwards of $100,000. Here’s a look at some of the more common injuries and other items that go into coming up with a dog bite case evaluation and how much they can be worth:

• Ambulance and ER: A single trip in an ambulance and visit to the ER can run upwards of $10,000 and while this may be partially covered by your own insurance, this is ultimately something that should be paid out by the dog owner.
• Doctors Visits: Caring for a serious dog bite injury whether it occurred in Calabasas, Tustin or Temecula usually involves multiple visits to doctors which can add up into the thousands of dollars very quickly.
• Therapy: getting attacked by a dog can have an impact not only physically but emotionally as well. If you are dealing with PTSD or other emotional issues stemming from your dog bite you should seek professional help and these visits are something we will work to get you paid for in your overall dog bite settlement amount.
• Scarring: the nature of this type of personal injury is that there is likely going to be some temporary or permanent scarring stemming from the injury that you will work to have reconstruction treatments on but it may never fully go away. This is especially true if the attack occurred on more sensitive bodily areas such as your face. When determining the value of a dog bite scar, things like age of victim, location and severity of scar, lasting visibility of scar and reconstructive needs are all taken into account but it is not out of the question for a facial scar on a younger victim to be valued at well over $100,000. When the scarring is on an older victim in a less obvious location (such as knees or ankles), the compensation may be closer to $20,000-$30,000.
• Missed work: Like serious car accidents and slip and falls, dog bites usually require the victim to miss some work and this is also part of your compensation.
• Other factors: pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of certain activities and many other things may come about temporarily or permanently as a result of your dog bite and we will work to make sure that these important aspects of your life and compensated for in your settlement.

Like any personal injury accident the first and best thing you should do following a dog bite is to seek medical attention. Not only will this help make you feel better, get an accurate picture of the nature and extent of your injuries and ensure that you do not also get any infections but seeing a doctor also increases the value of your dog bite case. The next thing you should do is get in touch with Walch Law immediately. We take cases all over Southern California and have gotten our dog bite clients millions of dollars over the years. We know the time following any serious personal injury accident can be difficult and we are here to help take the financial and legal burden off your plate so you can focus on your recovery. We are always available so get in touch with us now and let’s begin working to maximize your dog bite settlement.