Direct and Indirect Dog Bite Injuries

Animal attacks cause thousands of serious or catastrophic (life-threatening) injuries every year in California. As outlined below, these injuries could be direct, either prior to or during the bite, or indirect as a result of a bite.

Many people treat their pets like people, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, people can usually control their impulses and behaviors. Animals cannot control themselves. Instead, their owners or caregivers must control them. The duty of care requires nothing less. We cannot live together unless we watch out for each other, at least to an extent.

California is a strict liability state. Owners could be responsible for injuries even if they didn’t know the animal was prone to violence. Other legal options are available as well. Most of these options are based on negligence, or a lack of care.

A good San Marcos personal injury lawyer knows the law and knows how to make the law work for victims. Animal attack victims have several legal options. Only one of these options is best for a victim in a certain situation. To make this determination, a San Marcos personal injury lawyer must look beyond the letter of the law and determine its application.

Pre-Bite Injuries in California

The distinction between a pre-bit and a bite injury could be critical in California, especially in strict liability cases. Technically, at least from certain perspectives, the state’s strict liability law only applies to bite injuries.

When a large dog, such as a pitbull, lunges at a vulnerable victim, such as a small child, the knockdown injuries often include:

• Head Injuries: Basically, the skull is a water tank that suspends the brain in cerebrospinal fluid. So, the motion of a knockdown causes the brain to slam against the skull. This impact causes permanent injuries which are difficult to detect and treat.
• Broken Bones: The sheer weight of a large animal creates a tremendous amount of force. The resulting impact usually shatters bones instead of breaking them. Once again, these extensive injuries are difficult to treat and normally permanent.
• Internal Injuries: The same impact that causes the brain to slam against the skull also causes internal organs to mash against each other. Because these organs have no protective skin layers, slight abrasions bleed profusely.

The severity of pre-bite injuries underscores the fact that owners or caregivers have a duty to control animals at all times, and not just if they’re being aggressive.

Dog Bite Injuries in California

When dogs bite, their teeth cause severe puncture wounds and serious lacerations, which are the signature wounds of an animal attack.

Typically, biting down hard is in a dog’s DNA. This reaction helps the dog defend itself and defend others. If the bite is offensive instead of defensive, the puncture wounds are even deeper. Furthermore, these wounds are even worse if the victim is vulnerable, as mentioned above.

The tearing lacerations usually require complete reconstructive surgery. Even this extensive surgery only does so much. These victims still bear the physical and emotional scars of these attacks.

Dog bites also have very high infection rates. Typically, if a bite-related infection substantially causes injury, a San Marcos personal injury lawyer may obtain compensation against a negligent doctor or other medical provider.

Reach Out to a Thorough San Diego County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Marcos, contact the Pursley Law Firm. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.