If you or your child suffered dog bite injuries in Texas, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. A Texas dog bite lawyer can help you recover the damages you deserve for your injuries.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers has over 45 years of experience in personal injury law. We have the experience, resources, and proven record of success to help you recover the compensation you and your family need.
We’ve helped injured clients recover millions of dollars in compensation over the years. To discuss your legal options, call our law offices in Texas at (713) 500-5000 today to schedule a free consultation.
How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With Your Texas Dog Bite Injury Claim
It’s important to recognize that the damage caused by a dog bite can be substantial, even if you love animals. Dog bites can be life-threatening and may require extensive medical care, especially when the victim is a child.
Our legal team at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers will work tirelessly to help you get fair compensation when someone else’s dog bites you. Our Texas personal injury lawyers have over four decades of combined experience. Our founding attorney is even board certified in personal injury trial law.
When you hire our law firm, you’ll have an experienced advocate to:
- Investigate the dog’s history and identify any prior vicious acts
- Establish whether the dog owner knew the dog was dangerous
- Identify any third parties who might share financial liability
- Stand up for you when the insurance company accuses you of provoking the dog
- Negotiate to recover a fair financial settlement
With over 45 years of experience, our Texas personal injury attorneys are well-prepared to handle every aspect of your claim.
Are you ready to learn more about your legal options? Call today for a free case evaluation.
For a legal consultation call (713) 500-5000
How Common Are Dog Bites in Texas?
About 85 million American families own at least one dog. Even the most well-trained dog can bite, whether provoked or not. About 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year. According to the CDC, the dog bite injury rate is highest for young children.
Unfortunately, Texas ranks as one of the most dangerous states for dog bites. In fact, Houston has been called the “dog bite capital of America” by the U.S. postal service. Cities like San Antonio, Dallas, and Fort Worth are all ranked among the top 15 most dangerous U.S. cities for dog bites.
In an eight-year review of fatal Texas dog bites, the vast majority of the victims were under age eleven. About half of all fatal dog bite victims were younger than two years old.
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What is My Texas Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?
The amount of compensation available to dog bite victims depends on several different factors. The nature and severity of the injuries will largely determine the value of your case.
More specifically, important factors involve:
- The cost of your medical care
- Whether you’re able to work
- Whether your future job prospects are harmed
- Your overall quality of life following the attack
- Any emotional trauma you’ve suffered
Expert witnesses and the experience of your lawyer can each play an important role in establishing the fair value of your injury claim.
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What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims?
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers can help you recover economic damages and non-economic damages under Texas personal injury laws.
Economic damages compensate dog bite victims for expenses they’ve incurred because of the dog bite.
They include damages for past and future:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages and income
- Earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
You may also be entitled to recover non-economic damages in Texas to compensate for your:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- PTSD, anxiety, or depression
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Victims of fatal dog bites may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If you lost a loved one because of a dog bite injury, you might be entitled to recover compensation for medical bills, funeral costs, loss of your loved one’s company, and more.
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Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite Injury in Texas?
The dog owner might try to blame you for provoking the dog. Your compensation award may be reduced if these claims are successful.
Under Texas modified comparative negligence rules, dog attack victims can recover compensation so long as they were less than 51% responsible for the attack. If you’re found to be 51% or more at fault, you’ll forfeit your right to compensation.
These comparative negligence rules only apply if the dog owner had no reason to suspect that the dog was dangerous. A personal injury lawyer can help if you’re being blamed after a dog bite. Just give us a quick call today for a free case review.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Animal attacks have the ability to cause serious damage. Some common dog bite injury cases our lawyers in Texas handle involve:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Infection
- Amputation injuries
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Eye injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Crushing injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Many of these injuries will require substantial medical treatment. If you were hurt, don’t hesitate to reach out to a Texas dog bite attorney for legal advice today.
What Causes Most Dog Bite Injuries in Texas?
Certain types of dogs are simply more likely to bite than others.
However, there are many different reasons that a dog might bite, especially if they were:
- Provoked
- Protecting family or territory
- Feeling sick, scared, or startled
- Trained to react aggressively to strangers
- Overly excited while engaging in play
It’s not always easy to understand why an animal attacks. However, the cause of your dog bite injury can become relevant if the dog had no history of vicious behavior.
Am I Required to Prove Negligence to Recover Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries in Texas?
Many states have a “one bite rule” on the books, including Texas. Under these strict liability laws, dog owners are liable for injuries if they knew or should have known about their pet’s dangerous or vicious propensities.
While Texas doesn’t have any specific dog bite statutes on the books, the Texas Supreme Court has outlined a dog owner’s duty parameters.
The Texas “one bite rule” works like this:
- Dog owners are strictly liable for damages caused by a dog that is known to be dangerous
- If the dog has never bitten before, the victim has to prove that the dog was vicious in order to recover damages
If a dog in Texas has bitten before, the law assumes that the owner knew that the dog was dangerous. Dog owners are responsible for damages caused by the vicious dog.
To recover damages, the victim will have to show:
- The dog had displayed evidence of its ability to cause harm
- The down owner knew that the dog had dangerous propensities
- The dog’s actions actually caused your injuries
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers will help you gather the evidence you need to support your claim. We’ll interview neighbors, review veterinary records, and even locate any available video surveillance footage.
Negligence
Bite victims may also be able to recover compensation based on negligence.
We may be able to establish negligence by showing that the dog owner failed to exercise reasonable caution by:
- Ignoring city or county leash laws
- Failing to keep the dog secured
- Training the dog to engage in aggressive behavior
- Letting a stray dog wander around in public
It’s also important to remember that people other than the pet owner may be liable. Property owners can be held liable if you’re bitten by a dog while lawfully on their property–even if the property owner didn’t own the dog. Dog walkers, pet sitters, groomers and other responsible parties may also share liability under Texas state law.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After Sustaining a Dog Bite Injury in Texas?
The statute of limitations in Texas dog bite cases is two years. If you don’t take legal action within the two-year period, you’ll lose your right to compensation.
Contact a Texas Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Have you or a loved one suffered a dog bite injury in Texas? An experienced Texas dog bite lawyer at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers can help. Just call our law firm to schedule a free consultation today.
Call or Text (713) 500-5000 or Complete a Case Evaluation Form
