Cole, Cole, Easley, and Sciba can help you or someone you care about that’s been injured by a dog bite in Victoria. Regardless of a dog’s temperament or training, they can react aggressively in a given situation. And the most likely outcome from something like that is an injury from a bite or attack. Our team can help you through the claims process and answer your questions. Set up a free consultation today.
Why a Lawyer Makes Sense After a Dog Bite
Every dog bite is unfortunate, but getting legal help doesn’t necessarily make sense for every one of them. If it’s just a minor bite, you’re probably okay with just heading to urgent care and getting it taken care of. But even with a dog bite, there’s a lot of variability. There’s puncture wounds to worry about in the short-term, but long-term, there’s pain, scarring, infections, and other things to worry about. If that’s the situation you’re in, that’s when getting a lawyer makes sense. And that’s where our Victoria dog bite team can help you by:
- Looking into what happened and explaining your legal options
- Gathering evidence and figuring out all available insurance coverage
- Finding who may be liable for your injuries
- Handling all the talks with insurance companies
- Guiding you through the claims process from start to finish
Most of all, our goal is to make the process easier for you and your family while you focus on getting better. Dog bites can happen in a lot of everyday situations here, even involving dogs that have never shown aggression before. Knowing your rights and taking the right steps early on can have a major impact on your claim.
Information That Can Help Your Dog Bite Claim
Getting bitten by a dog is shocking and really throws off your day. But once the initial shock wears off, it’s going to be important to try to start getting as much information as you can if you need to move forward with a claim. Here’s what can really help you:
- Medical records and bills. From emergency treatment and hospital visits to follow-up appointments, medications, and physical therapy, these records help connect your injuries directly to the dog bite and show the financial impact you’ve experienced.
- Information about the dog and owner. Try to get the owner’s name, contact information, and insurance details if possible. If you can’t locate the owner right away, make note of anything you remember about the dog, including its breed, size, color, and any identifying features.
- Photos and videos. Pictures of your injuries, the dog, and the location where the attack happened can be extremely valuable. Whether the bite occurred in a Victoria neighborhood, at a local park, or on private property, visual evidence can help document exactly what happened and make it harder for an insurance company to downplay your injuries.
- Incident reports. Reporting the bite to Victoria Animal Control or local law enforcement creates an official record of the incident. These reports can provide important details about the attack and whether the dog has a history of aggressive behavior.
- Witness information. If anyone saw the bite happen, get their name and contact information. Witnesses can provide their own retelling of what happened and help support your version of events.
- Damaged personal property. Make sure to keep any torn clothing, damaged eyeglasses, broken phones, or other personal items so you can show the force of the attack and the losses you experienced.
While this sounds straightforward, it’s much different when you’re dealing with injuries and the shock of being attacked. Your first priority should always be your safety and getting medical care. After that, you’ll need certain pieces of information to move things along. And that starts with figuring out liability.
Dog Bite Liability in Victoria
In Victoria and throughout Texas, dog bite cases generally follow the state’s “one bite” rule. That’s just another way of saying “negligence.” And to hold someone responsible for your injuries, you have to show that:
- The other person owned or otherwise was in control of the dog
- The dog bit, attacked, and injured you in some way
- You were legally on the property or in a public place
- The bite caused you some form of damage
- You weren’t provoking the dog
All of this sounds fairly straightforward, but like any injury situation, it can get a bit murky in a real-life situation. That means it could legal responsibility for your injuries could fall on:
- Dog owners
- Property owners
- Businesses that allow dogs
- Landlords
- Government agencies responsible for keeping public property safe
Remember, there’s also “comparative negligence” to worry about. You still have the right to file a claim if somebody was negligent and that led to your bite injuries, but if you were doing something like trespassing or did something to make the dog react aggressively, your damages could be reduced by your percentage of fault. All of which is to say that the details of your situation matters.
What Are Your Potential Damages in a Dog Bite Claim?
There’s two ways to look at the fallout of a dog bite in Victoria. First is your injuries. They can vary a lot based on what actually happened and what kind of dog it is, but generally, they typicall result in things like:
- Deep puncture wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Infections
- Facial injuries
- Eye injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Permanent scarring
- Rabies exposure concerns
- Emotional trauma and anxiety
With these injuries, getting medical care early on is crucial. But it’s also critical for another reason. The sooner you get treated, the easier it is to tie your injuries to the bite itself. And it’s your injuries and other losses from the bite that make up the core of your “legal damages” when you file a claim against whoever was responsible.
Whether you decide to file an insurance claim out of court or go to court with a lawsuit, your damages can include costs relating to your:
- Medical bills
- Future medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Texas law generally gives you two years from the date of the dog bite to file your claim. It’s important, because missing this deadline can take away your ability to get damages at all—no matter how strong your claim is.
Where Dog Bites Happen in Victoria
Unfortunately (but not surprisingly) dog bites can happen anywhere you come across a dog in Victoria. And it’s even more unfortunate that they happen in everyday places like:
- Homes, apartments, and shared neighborhood spaces. These are the most common spots, because that’s where dogs spend a majority of their time and are the most comfortable.
- Dog parks, playgrounds, and athletic complexes. Even though the city’s dog parks and playgrounds are designed for dogs, the wrong mix of people and other dogs can create the conditions for a dog to react aggressively.
- Sidewalks, streets, parking lots, and other public areas. Dog bites are especially prevalent in these types of places when dogs are unleashed or not being watched closely.
- Businesses that allow dogs on the property. A lot of businesses throughout Victoria are dog-friendly, but again, that can also lead to a bite situation.
You obviously never want to be in a situation where you’re bitten and injured. But when you see a dog while you’re out for a run in Riverside Park or even over at your friend’s house, it can happen. When it does, you don’t have to try to handle it on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t find the dog’s owner?
Not being able to find the dog’s owner can make things a bit more difficult, but not impossible. Most bites happen in familiar places, so you’ll likely know the owner. But even if you don’t, do what you can to get details about the dog itself. That can make them easier to track down.
Who’s responsible if the bite happens on a sidewalk?
If you’re bitten randomly while out and about in Victoria, it’s likely that the dog’s owner, the city, or a private business or property owner is going to be responsible because they’re all responsible for maintaining safety. It also depends on the circumstances, though, and our team knows how to narrow this down.
Can I file a claim if my child gets bitten?
A lot of dog bite victims in Victoria are children, and if it happens to your child, we can help you figure out negligence and file a claim on behalf of your child. They have the same rights as anyone else.
Contact Our Victoria Dog Bite Lawyers Today
Nobody wants to be in a situation where they’re bitten by a dog, whether they’re familiar with the dog or not. But these are among the most common cases we see here in Victoria. And while it’s painful, you have options.
Our Victoria dog bite lawyers at Cole, Cole, Easley, and Sciba can look at your situation, explain your legal options, and help you get the financial aid you need to heal and move forward. Reach out today to set up a free consultation and let us talk you through your options.
