San Antonio Personal Injury Lawyer for a Serious Dog Bite

If you have suffered medical complications after a dog bite in San Antonio, you are probably thinking about legal action. An injury claim might seem like a promising option for covering your medical bills and other expenses stemming from a serious injury, but the process of obtaining a settlement can feel insurmountable. How do you know if the dog’s owner will even be considered responsible for your injuries?

For assistance, look to the personal injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw, who have specialized experience with dog bite claims. To begin exploring your legal options, call 800-862-1260 and set up a free initial consultation and case review. English- and Spanish-speaking staff are ready to help you at any time.

Texas is one of the most dangerous states for dog bites, with over 40 fatal bite-related injuries occurring since 2010. These bites can occur for several different reasons, including:

• Intentionally or unintentionally provoking a dog
• Owners training a dog to guard property
• A dog being underfed
• Rabies-related aggression

Look out for signs of fear or aggression in a dog, such as growling or a defensive posture. If the dog attacks, seek out a San Antonio personal injury lawyer for a serious dog bite to discuss your next steps.

If you intend to pursue legal action, it is important to be aware of Texas laws governing dog bite liability. These laws can be complicated, and they rely on several specific conditions. The best way to understand who is likely to be held liable for your injuries is to schedule a free consultation with a San Antonio dog bite lawyer.

For an injury claim to be successful, the claimant has to prove three things:

1. The dog’s owner was aware of their dog’s aggressive tendencies,
2. the owner failed to take the necessary precautions to protect others from those tendencies, and
3. that failure lead to your injuries

Texas has a “one bite rule,” meaning that if a dog has not attacked someone in the past, the owner may not be considered aware of his aggression. In other words, your claim is more viable if you are not the first person whom the dog attacked.

If an owner is aware of a dog’s likelihood to attack and injure, they are expected to take the necessary precautions to prevent those accidents. These precautions might include fencing and signage around the home and leashing and muzzling in public. If your bite was a result of their failure to uphold this minimum standard of safety, they may owe you damages.

Most personal injury attorneys will only take on cases that they are confident could result in a settlement. However, because Texas considers comparative negligence in injury claims, this does not exclude cases in which the claimant is partially responsible.

Say that a dog’s owner warns you not to approach their animal because he has attacked someone before, but you do so anyway and are bitten. You showed negligence by ignoring the warning, but the owner also neglected to muzzle their dog. Comparative negligence means that you are both liable for your injuries. If you are found to be 40% responsible, you will receive 40% of your settlement. However, if you are found to have exhibited more negligence than the defendant, you will not receive anything.

Again, the specifics of dog bite liability vary significantly from case to case, For a clearer idea of your claim’s probable outcome, look for an injury attorney who specializes in dog bites.

Carabin Shaw’s client reviews show that our legal team has the focused experience with dog attack litigation that will increase your claim’s chances of success. If you are interested in a free consultation, call 800-862-1260 at any time to schedule yours.