Clovis Dog Bites Lawyer
Looking for a dog bite attorney in Clovis? Golden Gate Legal can help you get the compensation you deserve after an injury. Contact us today.
A dog bite can be a deeply traumatic event, leaving both physical scars and emotional distress that can last for years. If you're seeking legal representation in the Clovis area after such an incident, our experienced team is ready to help you navigate the path forward.
At Golden Gate Legal, we have a proven track record of successfully handling dog bite cases for clients throughout Clovis, and we understand the local laws that will affect your claim. This guide will walk you through the immediate steps to take after a bite, provide an overview of the legal process, and answer some of the most common questions you may have.
What to Do After a Dog Bite in Clovis
If you've been bitten by a dog in the Clovis area, it's important to follow these steps:
Make Sure You're Safe
Your first priority is to create distance between yourself and the animal to prevent another bite. Once you've reached a secure location in Clovis, carefully check yourself and anyone with you for injuries.
Seek Immediate Medical Care
The most important first step is to get medical help right away by calling 911 or going to the nearest emergency room. This ensures the wound is properly treated to prevent serious infections and creates an official record of your injuries.
Call the Police and Animal Control
Contacting the police and local animal control ensures there is an official report of the incident. They will investigate, collect statements, and gather information, so be sure to ask for a copy of the report for your own files.
Collect Information and Evidence
Gather the dog owner's name and contact information, find out if the dog is up-to-date on its rabies shots, and take pictures of your injuries, the dog itself, and the surrounding area. This evidence is vital for ensuring you receive proper medical care and for strengthening any potential legal claim you may have.
Contact Golden Gate Legal for Help
If you're dealing with the aftermath of a dog bite in Clovis, the skilled attorneys at Golden Gate Legal can manage the legal process for you. We will handle communications with insurance providers and advocate tirelessly to ensure you receive the full compensation you are entitled to.
Why Choose Golden Gate Legal
If you're in the Clovis area, our team at Golden Gate Legal has years of experience handling dog bite cases among many other personal injury proceedings. Here are a few reasons why you should choose us to represent you:
- We Will Get You Maximum Compensation: We fight aggressively to ensure you receive every penny you are legally entitled to for your recovery.
- We Will Protect You at All Costs: It is our top priority to defend your rights and interests while you focus on healing.
- No Legal Fees Upfront: You do not pay any legal fees unless we win or settle your case, so there is no financial risk to you.
- We Are Available at All Times: Our team is here for you whenever you need us, providing both legal and emotional support around the clock.
We encourage you to check out our Client Testimonials.
Legal Process Overview
For our clients in Clovis, we take care of every step of the legal process so you can focus on what matters most—your healing. Here’s how it works:
- Free Consultation & Case Evaluation: We start with a free consultation to discuss the details of your dog bite incident, answer your questions, and determine the strength of your case.
- Evidence Collection & Claim Filing: Our team will gather all necessary evidence, like medical records and witness statements, and manage all communications and filings with the insurance companies for you.
- Medical Treatment Coordination: As you recover, we can assist in coordinating your medical care and track your progress to make sure your case accurately represents the full extent of your injuries.
- Demand Letter & Negotiation: After you've completed medical treatment, we will compile a detailed demand package and negotiate with the responsible party's insurance company to secure the best possible settlement for you.
- Litigation (if necessary): Should the opposing party refuse a fair settlement, our skilled trial lawyers are prepared to file a lawsuit and fight for you in court to ensure the dog owner is held accountable.
- You Get Paid: Upon the successful resolution of your case, we handle the final paperwork to get your compensation check to you quickly, covering all your damages.
What Types of Damages Can You Claim After a Dog Bite?
In California, if you've been injured by a dog bite, the law allows you to seek financial compensation for the various damages you've suffered as a result of the incident. Compensatory damages for dog bites in California may include the following:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Future medical care and treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Psychological counseling
To protect their own profits, insurance companies and at-fault parties will often try to undervalue your claim, making it essential to have experienced California personal injury attorneys like the team at Golden Gate Legal fighting for you.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
While this is not a complete list, here are some of the most common types of injuries we handle:
Puncture Wounds & Lacerations
A dog's sharp teeth can create deep puncture wounds or ragged tears in the skin and underlying tissue, which can result in substantial bleeding, a serious risk of infection, a need for stitches, and often leave behind permanent scars.
Infections & Soft-Tissue Damage
When a dog’s bite breaks the skin, it can introduce bacteria that may cause anything from a simple skin infection to a more severe abscess or a dangerous, body-wide infection like sepsis.
Nerve Damage & Functional Impairments
A particularly deep bite, especially in delicate areas such as the hands or face, can damage underlying nerves. This may lead to a loss of feeling, numbness, persistent pain, or even permanent functional problems if not properly treated.
Scarring & Disfigurement
A common result of a dog attack is scarring, which can be particularly noticeable on the face or hands. If the bite causes major tissue damage, surgical procedures like plastic or reconstructive surgery might be needed to repair the area and lessen the disfigurement.
Crush Injuries & Fractures
The powerful jaws of some dogs, especially larger ones, can exert enough force to break bones or cause severe crush damage to soft tissue and joints. These injuries are often marked by significant swelling and bruising and may necessitate surgery, splints, or physical therapy to ensure proper healing.
PTSD & Emotional Trauma
The emotional trauma from a dog bite, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, lasting anxiety, or a new fear of animals, can often outlast the physical injuries and may require professional therapy, especially for children, to help them rebuild their confidence and sense of safety.
Common Causes of Dog Bites in Clovis
Dog bites in Clovis often happen for a few common reasons, including:
Lack of Proper Training
Improperly trained or unsocialized dogs often lack the skills to cope with stress, which can cause them to lash out and bite when they feel frightened or uncertain.
Fear or Startling
If a dog is caught by surprise by a sudden noise or action, it may bite out of a natural instinct to protect itself from what it perceives as a threat.
Territorial Behavior
Since dogs are instinctively protective of their space and their people, they may bite if they feel threatened by an unfamiliar person approaching their territory.
Rough Play
When play gets too physical, a dog might feel threatened and lash out to defend itself from what it perceives as danger.
Protective Instincts
A dog might bite if you try to take something they are guarding, whether it's their food bowl, a favorite toy, or even a person in the family.
Pain or Illness
A dog in pain from an injury or illness might bite when touched or startled, as it may come to view physical contact as a source of more hurt.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will a Personal Injury Attorney Cost?
For our Clovis clients, there are no initial attorney fees for personal injury claims. We only collect a fee if we successfully win or settle your case, removing any financial risk for you.
What if the dog’s owner denies responsibility?
Even if a dog's owner denies responsibility, California law is quite clear. The state operates under a "strict liability" rule for dog bites, which means an owner is generally held accountable for injuries their dog causes, regardless of whether the dog had a history of aggression or the owner was being careless. You typically don't need to prove the owner was negligent; you just need to show that their dog bit you and that you were injured as a result.
However, there are a few exceptions. An owner's liability might be reduced or even dismissed if the injured person was trespassing on private property or had provoked the dog. This is why the specific context of the incident is so important, especially when building a dog bite case in Clovis.
How long do I have to take legal action after a dog bite?
In California, the law gives you two years from the date of a dog bite to file a claim, according to Civil Code § 335.1. If you miss this two-year deadline, your case will almost certainly be thrown out, even if the owner was clearly at fault.
However, there is an important exception for minors. If the victim was under 18, the two-year period to file a lawsuit doesn't begin until their 18th birthday.
In California, how long does an insurance company have to settle a claim?
In California, once you file a claim, your insurance company has 15 days to acknowledge it and start looking into the details. From the day they receive all your required documents, they then have 40 days to decide whether to accept or deny your claim.
If the insurance company approves your claim, they are required to send the payment within 30 days. This means that, according to the state's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations, the whole settlement process should typically be wrapped up within 85 days from when you submitted your completed claim.
Can I file a claim if the dog was on a leash or had no prior bite history?
Yes. In Clovis, California law holds dog owners responsible even if their dog was on a leash or had never bitten anyone before. Under this strict liability rule, the owner is accountable as long as you were lawfully present when the bite occurred.
How will Golden Gate Legal actually help me?
For our neighbors in Clovis, the team at Golden Gate Legal starts by listening. We want to understand your unique circumstances and make sure you feel supported from day one. A crucial part of this is evaluating the full extent of your injuries, and if needed, we can connect you with medical specialists to ensure you receive the proper care.
While you concentrate on your health, our team will manage the entire legal side of things. We will fight to secure the financial compensation you need to move forward. This covers everything from your medical expenses and lost income to the pain and disruption this has caused in your life.
Contact Golden Gate Legal for legal support
Golden Gate Legal has helped countless personal injury victims get back on their feet. Let’s do the same for you.
Call us now at (310) 445-3425 or click below for your free consultation.
Protecting your rights when you need it most
We believe in doing what’s right: you focus on your recovery, and we’ll handle the legal process from start to finish.
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We are available at all times
No legal fees paid upfront
We will protect you at all costs
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