Orange County Dog Bite Lawyers
Orange County Dog Bite Injury Attorneys Familiar With Emotional & Physical Trauma After a Dog Attack
With respect to dog bite attacks, California law used to adhere to the “one free bite rule,” which required that a dog’s owner would only be liable for any dog bite attacks if the dog had already demonstrated a propensity for viciousness, usually demonstrated by the dog having already bitten someone. Hence, the dog was usually afforded “one free bite” before the owner would be held liable.
3 Things You Should Know After A Dog Bite Has Occurred
Photograph the injuries caused by the bite and document the identity of the dog and its owner immediately after the bite.
Do not talk to the insurance company or give a written or recorded statement to the insurance company without talking to Orange County dog bite lawyers at Easton & Easton, LLP.
Call Easton & Easton, LLP as soon as possible so we can advise you what to do next.
How Does Strict Liability Apply For Dog Bite Claims In California?
Today, California has abandoned this rule and holds dog owners strictly liable for any dog bites, meaning that no proof of prior viciousness is required now. This law has been codified in California Civil Code §3342(a), which states:
“The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”
This means that a dog bite victim needs only to prove the following to hold a defendant (and usually his/her homeowner’s insurance) liable:
- The dog bit the plaintiff;
- The defendant owned the dog;
- The plaintiff was in public or lawfully on the premises where the dog bite occurred; and
- The bite caused the plaintiff’s injuries.
While this code drastically increases the scope of liability for dog bites and makes litigating such cases a bit easier for plaintiffs, it is still imperative that dog bite victims are aided by experienced attorneys in order to maximize their recovery.
What Your Orange County Dog Bite Attorney Can Do For You
One of the most important aspects of dog bite cases is properly gathering the evidence to satisfy the code and prove all of the plaintiff’s damages. This evidence may include obtaining:
- Information regarding the dog and its owner
- Information regarding any witnesses to the attack
- Photographs of the victim’s injuries immediately after the bite
- Photographs of the victim’s injuries after medical treatment has been received, especially where there is any permanent scarring
- Photographs of the dog and the premises where the dog bite occurred
- Medical records documenting the treatment received for the injuries caused by the dog bite
When such evidence is properly gathered, the plaintiff’s attorneys can be much more successful in recovering the full value of the plaintiff’s claim. Orange County personal injury attorneys at Easton & Easton, LLP are very experienced in handling dog bite cases and can often help victims quickly settle their claims against the dog owner’s insurance company for the full value of the claim.
A Recent Orange County Client
You may recall reading in the Orange County Register in December of 2008 about a woman who was attacked in Laguna Hills by 3 Bullmastiffs that had escaped from their owner’s backyard. It was reported that the 3 dogs viciously mauled the woman, shaking her like a ragdoll. Several neighbors came to the aid of the woman and used shovels to beat the vicious dogs off of her so she could be rescued. The woman was taken to the hospital where she underwent 8 hours of surgery to treat her severe injuries. The 4 neighbors that came to her aid were later honored as heroes by the City Council of Laguna Hills.
One of the neighbors who came to her aid was also bitten by the dogs and retained Easton & Easton, LLP to represent him. In early 2009, we were able to obtain a very favorable settlement for this client.
Attacks By Other Kinds Of Domestic Animals
While the one free bite rule has been abandoned in California with respect to dogs, it remains in effect for other types of domestic animals. For example, where an owner’s domestic cat, bird, rodent, or other animal attacks or bites a victim, the owner of the animal can be held liable for the victim’s injuries as long as the victim can prove that the owner had knowledge or should have had knowledge of the animal’s vicious propensities. Therefore, where the plaintiff can prove the animal has attacked or bitten someone before, the owner will usually be held liable.
Another Recent Client
Attorneys at Easton & Easton, LLP, recently helped a woman who was petting a cat inside a home and was subsequently bitten on the finger by the cat. The bite became infected and our client eventually had to be hospitalized for the infection.
We were able to prove that the owner had knowledge of the cat’s vicious propensities by proving that the cat had previously bitten the owner and the owner’s boyfriend and that these facts weren’t disclosed to our client before she petted the cat. After establishing this, we were able to settle our client’s claim against the cat owner’s homeowners insurance carrier for $100,000, the full amount of their homeowners liability insurance.
Learn More About How We Can Help You
Over the years, we have represented many dog bite claimants, as well as victims of other types of animal attacks, some of whom have received settlements in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Our years of experience allow us to skillfully negotiate our clients’ claims with the defendant’s insurance carriers, as well as seamlessly assess and coordinate medical care to make certain the full extent of our clients’ injuries are identified, treated, and proved to the insurance carriers.
We understand the tricks, stratagems, and defenses the insurance companies and their attorneys use to defeat or minimize a claim, and at Easton & Easton, LLP, we utilize our experience, skill, and dedication to make certain our clients do not fall victim to the insurance companies’ tricks and stratagems.
Please call our dedicated Orange County dog bite injury lawyers at 800-461-8259 for a free initial consultation. If we do not take your case, there is no charge.
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern Califonia, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
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Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation!
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!!
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The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton!
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did.
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had.
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
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Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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