San Bernardino Dog Bite Lawyer
San Bernardino Dog Bite Attorney
Dogs are widely regarded as man’s best friend and are popular pets in San Bernardino and throughout the state. While most people are fortunate to regularly have positive encounters with dogs, some unfortunately suffer extreme injuries from unexpected dog attacks. Any dog is capable of inflicting severe wounds on a person without provocation, even dogs with no known history of past aggression. When these incidents happen, victims and their families are likely to wonder whether they have any grounds for legal recourse.
Experienced Legal Counsel for Dog Bite Claims in San Bernardino, CA
If you are struggling in the aftermath of a dog attack, a San Bernardino dog bite attorney is the ideal resource to consult. An experienced attorney can help you determine fault for the accident and prove the extent of the damages you could potentially recover from the defendant responsible for the attack. While a dog bite claim in San Bernardino is a type of personal injury claim in San Bernardino, there are special rules for this sort of case that you must understand before taking any formal steps toward seeking accountability and compensation for your damages.
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have years of professional experience helping clients in San Bernardino and surrounding communities with all sorts of personal injury cases, including those pertaining to dog attacks. We know how damaging and traumatic this type of incident can be and that the average victim is likely to have many pressing legal questions they cannot answer on their own. When you choose our firm to represent your dog bite claim, you are investing in a seasoned legal advocate ready to provide guidance and support when you need it most.
Understanding the Strict Liability Rule for Dog Attacks
Some states enforce one-bite rules, which give dog owners a chance to avoid serious liability for the damages their pets might cause. Under these rules, the first time a dog bites someone, the owner is only responsible for the victim’s medical expenses. If the dog attacks a second time, the owner will face greater financial responsibility for the victim’s damages. California has no such law and instead enforces a strict liability rule for dog attacks. Under strict liability, the dog owner is fully responsible for all damages their pet inflicts on another party, regardless of whether the dog has attacked before and/or has any known history of aggression.
There are only two prerequisites the plaintiff must satisfy for strict liability to apply to their claim. First, they may not have provoked the attack. If they attacked the dog owner or abused the dog and the dog reacted defensively, strict liability does not apply. Second, they must have been legally present wherever the attack occurred. For example, if you are walking on a public sidewalk and a passing dog attacks you unexpectedly, strict liability would apply because you were legally present on the sidewalk. However, if someone breaks into another person’s home and the homeowner’s dog attacks them, strict liability will not apply because the trespasser was not legally present in the home.
Your San Bernardino dog bite attorney can assist you in gathering any evidence you may need to firmly establish strict liability for the attack. Once you are certain that strict liability applies to your case, your attorney can proceed with helping you determine the extent of the damages you can seek from the defendant.
Claiming Compensation for a Dog Attack in San Bernardino
The objective of a personal injury suit is for the plaintiff to prove fault for the damages they suffered and to recover compensation for those damages from the defendant who injured them. After proving fault and asserting strict liability for the dog attack, the plaintiff’s next focus should be proving the exact scope of the damages they suffered and proving they resulted from the attack alone, and not some other cause.
The average personal injury claim can involve three forms of damages: economic, non-economic, and punitive. Economic damages are the most straightforward and include any direct financial losses the plaintiff suffered because of the defendant’s actions. Your San Bernardino dog bite attorney can potentially help you recover economic damages such as:
- Medical treatment costs. When you have suffered physical harm because of another party’s actions, they are liable for the cost of all medical care you will need to recover as fully as possible. Dog attacks can not only result in bite-related injuries like puncture wounds, lacerations, and nerve damage, but also serious traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and damage to internal organs. Your San Bernardino dog bite attorney can help to ensure all the physical harm you experienced is properly acknowledged in your claim.
- Property damage. If the dog also damaged or destroyed any of your personal property, you can include these losses in your personal injury claim as economic damages.
- Lost wages. If you have been left unable to work after your dog attack due to the severity of your injuries, the defendant who injured you is responsible for the money you were unable to earn during this time. A good attorney can also help you recover recompense for all paid time off you were forced to use because of the incident.
- Lost future income. When a plaintiff has suffered a catastrophic injury because of a defendant’s actions, they may be unable to return to work in the future, or their earning capacity may be severely diminished. If your dog attack has permanently impacted your ability to earn money in the future, your attorney can help you secure compensation for the future income you are no longer able to earn. They can calculate this amount based on your age, current earning level, and the length of time you would have reasonably expected to continue working if you hadn’t been injured.
The average plaintiff should be able to assess immediately noticeable economic damages like hospital bills on their own, but accurately calculating long-term economic losses is more challenging. After your San Bernardino dog bite attorney has helped you assess the extent of the economic damages you can seek from the defendant in your case, the next step is determining suitable pain and suffering recompense to include in your personal injury claim.
Attorneys in California personal injury cases generally use two methods to calculate pain and suffering recompense for their clients:
- If the plaintiff has suffered catastrophic injuries resulting in permanent disability, their attorney is likely to seek a large lump sum of pain and suffering recompense calculated using the multiplier method. The attorney adds the total of the plaintiff’s economic damages and then multiplies this amount by a factor that reflects the overall severity of their condition.
- If the plaintiff is expected to make a complete recovery in the short term, their attorney is more likely to use a per diem calculation. They determine a suitable amount of daily pain and suffering recompense and then multiply this amount by the number of days it takes the plaintiff to fully recover. For example, $300 per day for a 100-day recovery period would amount to $30,000 in pain and suffering recompense.
For most personal injury clients in San Bernardino, pain and suffering recompense comprises the bulk of their case awards. Additionally, punitive damages may come into play if the facts of the case show that the dog owner was negligent in their handling of their dog. For example, if the dog had previously attacked someone and the owner failed to follow restrictions placed on them following the first attack, they could face punitive damages as well as criminal prosecution, depending on the details of the situation.
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have extensive experience handling the most complex civil claims for damages on behalf of clients throughout the San Bernardino area. We know you are likely to have many pressing concerns in the aftermath of your dog attack, and you need reliable legal guidance in this difficult situation to help you recover as fully as possible. When you choose our firm to represent your dog bite claim in San Bernardino, you will have a responsive legal advocate readily available to address your concerns and answer your questions throughout your civil court proceedings. The sooner you connect with legal counsel that you trust, the more likely you are to succeed with your case.
Dog Bite Law FAQs
Q: Why Do I Need to Hire a San Bernardino Dog Bite Lawyer?
A: While hiring legal counsel for your dog bite case isn’t strictly required by law, having legal representation that you trust on your side will make handling your case much easier and you will be more likely to maximize your total recovery with their help. The right San Bernardino dog bite attorney can make every aspect of your claim easier to manage, and you will be more likely to uncover every available channel of compensation. You will also be more likely to streamline your proceedings, securing compensation much faster than you could handle on your own.
Q: Can a Plaintiff Share the Fault for a Dog Bite?
A: The state upholds the pure comparative fault rule in cases in which multiple parties share fault for causing the damages. If a plaintiff bears any fault for causing their claimed damages, they lose a percentage of the total compensation won from the defendant. Dog bite cases unfold under a strict liability rule, meaning a dog owner is fully liable for any and all damages their pet inflicts on another party. The prerequisites for strict liability include legal presence at the location of the incident and lack of provocation. If you are concerned about bearing partial fault in a dog bite claim, your attorney can explain how any such variables may influence the outcome of your case.
Q: How Much Recompense Can I Claim for a Dog Attack in San Bernardino?
A: If you can establish strict liability for the dog attack you recently experienced, a good attorney can help you hold the dog owner accountable for the full scope of economic losses you suffered from the attack as well as compensation for your long-term economic damages like ongoing medical treatment costs and lost future earning capacity. Additionally, you can claim as much pain and suffering recompense as you believe to be appropriate to reflect the severity of your experience.
Q: How Long Will It Take to Finalize My Dog Bite Injuries Case?
A: The majority of personal injury claims filed do not end in the courtroom and are usually resolved during settlement negotiations. During the settlement negotiation process, the parties involved in the case will meet privately to discuss mutually acceptable terms for resolving the case. As long as they can reach a compromise, settlement may only take a few weeks. By comparison, litigation could take more than a year to complete, and the final outcome will depend on a judge’s discretion.
Q: What Does It Cost to Hire a San Bernardino Dog Bite Attorney?
A: It’s natural to worry about how much it might cost to hire an attorney to help you with your dog bite claim, but expensive legal fees are not a concern if you choose Easton & Easton to represent your case. We take personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning our client only pays a fee after we win their case, and their fee is a percentage of the total recovered. There is no fee at all if we are unable to secure compensation for you, so there is no financial risk to choosing our team to represent you.
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have decades of professional experience in California personal injury law and our firm has successfully represented many past clients in complex dog attack claims. We know the various legal obstacles you may need to overcome in your efforts to recover from the dog attack you experienced, and our team is standing by to provide the guidance and support you need in this difficult situation. Contact Easton & Easton today to set up your consultation with an experienced San Bernardino dog bite attorney to start working toward recovery with confidence.
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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
What Our Clients Say
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! Read more…
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!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
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… Read more…
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! Read more…
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. Read more…
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. Read more…
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!!
-Allee
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!