San Diego Dog Bite Attorney

Fighting for victims of dog attacks in San Diego County!

If you or someone you love has been injured by a dog bite, you need to take action. Contact the dog bite lawyers at the San Diego Injury Law Center today to schedule a free initial consultation in order to gain an understanding of your legal rights and options. In the meantime, below is a brief overview of the issues of dog bites. Call us in San Diego County at 619-338-8230 if you need to speak with someone right away.

Public Places

San Diego is no different from the rest of the United States in that many people are dog lovers. Dogs are simply a part of our culture, and people are used to seeing them everywhere. Millions of dogs live in households across the United States, and thousands call San Diego home. Unfortunately, this can create the potential for incidents that lead to serious injuries. This is where San Diego Injury Law Center can help. Dog bites are a growing problem in San Diego, as more and more people attempt to integrate their dogs into their daily routines including taking their pets to restaurants and other public places. These actions increase the number of contacts that the animals have with unfamiliar people. When a dog is stressed or even naturally predisposed to aggression, people can get hurt and damages can be incurred.

Another common belief with the issue of dog bites is that they only tend to occur at the dogs home, with the belief behind that myth being that the dog is protecting its territory. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Dog bites occur everywhere, and in reality, people are not as likely to file a claim for a dog bite if it occurs where the dog lives. Parks, streets, sidewalks, beaches and just about anywhere else could be a place where a dog bite could occur. While no one should cower in fear as soon as he or she encounters a dog, as this could actually increase the dogs stress level and raise the possibility of an attack, everyone needs to at least be aware of the fact that any dog can be a problem.

The Number of Dogs

In the United States alone, more than 54 million households claimed they owned at least one dog. In total, studies estimate there are nearly 80 million owned dogs in the country. While many of these dogs may seem harmless, animal experts warn dogs can be territorial, protective and sometimes vicious.

At The Barnes Firm, our Los Angeles dog bite attorneys understand how traumatizing a dog bite can be. That’s why we work hard to get you and your family the most compensation you can get after an injury or a death.

Why Do Dog Bites Happen?

Approximately 500,000 people are bitten by dogs in the United States every year. Thousands of these bites require medical attention. Although it may be difficult to determine why a dog bites, veterinarians suggest a variety of factors could lead to a maiming or death.

The most common reason dogs bite is possessiveness. Experts say dogs will often protect objects and places from unfamiliar people. These objects and places can include a toy, food, territory, or even another dog or human.

Dogs also tend to bite when they’re in fear. Veterinarians often attribute this ‘fear factor’ on unfamiliar settings and people. Experts urge all families never to approach an unfamiliar dog and specifically teach children to do the same.However, these reasons do not justify a dog bite.

Who Gets Bitten By Dogs?

Although no one can truly avoid a dog bite, children and the elderly are most vulnerable to severe and even deadly injuries. Unfamiliar workers, like mail carriers or an electrician may also be at a higher risk. According to the U.S. Postal Service, nearly 6,000 letter carriers are attacked by dogs each year and in rare cases, dog attacks have resulted in their deaths. In Los Angeles, between 60 and 90 mail carriers suffer a dog attack every year, the most of any American city.

What Dog Breeds Are the Most Likely to Bite?

Everyone has heard horror stories about how certain breeds of dogs are more likely to cause harm to a person than others. In particular, breeds that include the Rottweiler, the German Shepherd, the Pit Bull, the Doberman and the Boxer have all been singled out by activist groups and even some homeowners insurance companies as high-risk in nature.

The truth is, any breed of dog can attack. While statistics will show that certain breeds have been involved in a higher number of incidents than other breeds, liability and risk is not limited to those mentioned above. The fact is that even the smallest, seemingly most docile dogs can cause serious damage to any person if it ever attacks. Dogs have strong jaws and sharp teeth, and anyone can be vulnerable to a dog bite, especially if that person is not expecting such a situation. However, statistics have consistently shown certain breeds are more prone to violence than others. According to press accounts compiled since 1982, breeds such as pit bulls, rottweilers, mastiffs, boxers, and their mixes have caused 86 percent of recorded attacks that resulted in hospitalization. These breeds however only make up 9.2 percent of the total dog population.

Researchers suggest even if the pit bull category was “split four ways,” attacks by pit bulls and their closest relatives would still outnumber attacks by any other breed and are noted for attacking adults almost as often as children. Many communities today are overturning breed-specific legislation that banned these dogs in cities and neighborhoods. Some veterinarians suggest the dogs are not the problem: their owners are and urge pet owners to dedicate the time to properly train and care for a canine.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of a dog bite in or around San Diego, you need to act not only to protect your rights but to make sure that the offending dog does not victimize another person. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with the dog bite lawyers at the San Diego Injury Law Center.

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