Are you looking for an experienced Houston Dog Bite Lawyer? Vicious dogs such as pit bulls can lead to serious injures! Our dog bite attorney recently obtained a 1.9 million dollar verdict from a Harris County, Texas jury after a customer was attacked by a pit bull used as a security dog for a business. The pit bull used was untrained. In the United States, dog bite statistics show that over 4 million dog bites and dog attacks are reported every year.
Did you know, Houston has led the nation in dog attacks on postal workers for the last four years. The average cost paid out for dog bite claims in the United States was $44, 760 in 2019 up from $39, 017 in 2018. The average cost per claim nationally has risen 134 percent from 2003 to 2019, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments, and jury awards given to plaintiffs, which are trending upwards.
Often, a dog attack isn’t just physically painful; they can leave emotional scars too. According to information from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, about one in five victims of a dog bite need to seek medical attention. In some horrific cases, dog attacks can even be fatal. If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, you may be eligible for compensation. Jerome O. Fjeld is a personal injury attorney based in Houston, TX.
Dog Bite Facts & Statistics [2022]
He is an experienced dog bite lawyer handling numerous serious dog bite incidents and dog bite attacks. Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC, provides initial free consultation, free case evaluation and does not charge any legal fees unless the law firm obtains compensation for our client. Our law firm is committed to justice and helping victims who’ve been injured because of the negligence of a pet owner.
While dog bites occur throughout the United States, Texas seems to have more dog bite cases than average with more than 30 people have suffered dog bite injuries so serious that those injuries lead to their death between 2005 and 2013. In Texas, 68 percent of dog bite fatalities were children under the age of 11. In these attacks 76 percent were committed by pit bulls, a dog breed that is known for unruly behavior and aggressive propensities. Rottweiler attacks accounted for 15 percent of these deaths. Big dogs can be powerful and those with a tendency towards aggression can be deadly.
Pit bulls are scary and it seems they garner a lot of media attention when they attack such as the recent attack in Northwest Harris County which caused an elderly man who was out on a walk to be sent to the hospital via Life Flight. The pit bull attack was caught on video and you can watch some of it here. Large dogs are dangerous but even smaller dogs can cause serious injuries with their bites.
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Many states have a one-bite rule regarding dogs. In essence, this Texas law essentially gives dog owner’s a one-time free pass the first time their dog bites someone. The first time a victim suffers from dog bite injuries, the pet owner can claim that they did not know their dog had a propensity to be aggressive. If someone is injured by a dog again, the dog owner’s negligence is easier to prove and they may be liable for damages caused by the dog attack. This is one of the reasons it’s important to report a dangerous dog incident to the City of Houston or Harris County.
Often, it’s difficult to prove that a dog has bitten someone previously unless a dog bite lawyer was involved in a prior claim or animal attack. Depending on where you live in Houston or Harris County there are other regulations such as leash laws. Additionally, in some parts of Houston, communities may have regulations where it is a violation if you have a breed with propensities of aggressiveness such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, german shepherds, wolf hybrids and some mixes.
A dog owner should be aware that their dog may be considered dangerous if it has attacked a person in the past, a court will issue a notice that the dog is viewed as a danger, animal control may also issue a warning that a dog is a danger. If a dog owner knew a dog was dangerous and decides on keeping the dog but doesn’t take protective measures such as keeping the dog on a leash, muzzle or safely fencing the dog this increases the dog bite liability on second bites and the damages caused by the dog attack.
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Sometimes, it’s impossible to prevent an attack. People who have been out for a jog in their local park have been attacked by an aggressive dog that seems to come out of nowhere. Some types of aggressive dogs, especially pit bulls, may even jump their fence to attack someone who’s simply walking down the street. There are some things you can do to try to prevent some attacks such as:
If you provoke a dog, you may be ineligible for compensation. Of course, many defendants will attempt to say that you provoked their dog, but ringing your door bell or jogging in a park are not acts of canine provocation.
In order to achieve compensation for a Houston dog bite, a dog bite victim must prove that the dog’s owner was negligent. If the dog’s owner allowed their aggressive dog to roam unleashed, they would be considered negligent. Negligence is defined as failing to provide ordinary care. So, failing to mend a broken fence or letting the dog roam free could be regarded as negligent acts by dog owners.
Dallas Dog Bite Lawyers
Unfortunately, many dog owners fail to take precautions to secure their potentially dangerous pets. They may feel quite safe in their pet’s presence, but if they do not take precautions, especially if they understand that their dog is a danger, they may be liable for damages to dog bite victims.
If you, a family member or loved one, in your care is bitten by a dog in Texas, you should seek medical care. Even what appears to be a non-serious bite can be more serious than you think. Medical providers can examine the bite wound and clean it properly to ward off infection. When obtaining medical care, be sure to keep track of all hospital or clinic paperwork and your medical bills. These documents can provide you with evidence should you pursue a claim. You should also document your lost wages.
Next, you should contact animal services or even the police. The dog that bit you could pose a serious danger to your community. If the dog is a stray, animal control or police will need to track it down. If the dog attacked and bit you, it could do the same to someone else, possibly even a child. Some attacks can be life-threatening. Injuries caused by a dog bite can cause serioius injuries and scars.
Los Angeles Dog Bite Attorney
In cases of severe dog attacks, it’s not uncommon for hospital staff to photograph the victim’s injuries. You, too, can take photos of your wounds. These photos may be used as evidence if you pursue your claim. Documentation of treatment, medical bills and photos of the trauma can help dog bite injury lawyers establish an owner’s negligence and that you have been injured by a dog.
After getting medical care and reporting the dog bite incident to the police, call Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC your Texas dog bite lawyer for a free initial consultation. If you suffer from a Texas dog bite, as your Houston dog bite injury attorney, we can provide legal advice about how to best proceed after the case evaluation and help you obtain the medical treatment and compensation you deserve.
Our dog bite lawyers can discuss the time limits involved in your case. We can also help track down information about the dog that bit you. We’ll do our best to investigate whether the dog has been involved in other reported cases. We may talk to witnesses who say they witnessed the accident. They may be able to provide extremely important testimony that could support your version of the events like:
Dog Bite Injury Compensation
As part of our service to our clients, our Houston dog bite attorney routinely investigates matters associated with the claim. If there’s video footage, for example, we’ll hunt it down. Our goal is to bolster your claim with relevant evidence. If a dog owner has been negligent and you’ve been injured as a result, you deserve fair compensation.
Not every victim of a Houston dog bite is eligible for compensation. That’s why Jerome O. Fjeld, PLLC, offers clients a free initial consultation. Our dog bite injury attorney will carefully examine your claim so that we can understand its merits and challenges. A common defense that a defendant is apt to use is that the victim trespassed at the time they were bitten. If you entered a person’s gated yard without permission and a dog bit you, you are unlikely to have a case. We’ll provide you with our
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