Practice Areas

Dog Bites


FIRST ACTION

If you have been bitten by a dog, seek immediate medical attention for your injuries.  You should also call animal control and the police to report the dog.  After you have received the urgent medical care that you need, your next step should be to contact an experienced dog bite attorney.  Prior to retaining an attorney, you should not give a statement to the dog owner’s insurance carrier.

Dog Bites

DOG BITE LAW

Texas adheres to the so-called “one bite rule.” This doctrine means that owners are generally not responsible the first time a dog bites someone.  However, there are many exceptions to this doctrine, which is another reason you need to contact experienced dog bite attorneys to handle your case.  For example, if an owner knows that his dog has vicious tendencies, he can still be held liable the first time his dog bites someone.  Additionally, an owner can be held liable for a dog bite if the owner negligently handles the dog or violates certain city ordinances such as leash laws.

Juneau, Boll & Stacy, PLLC attorneys are experienced in handling cases involving people attacked by dogs.  While one might think any lawyer can handle a dog bite case, the truth is that the law regarding dog bites is complex.  For example, there is a misconception that a person must be bitten to recover damages.  This is false.  Just recently, our firm settled a significant case where our client was attacked by a dog but was able to fend off the dog attack without being bitten.  However, our client sustained a serious injury when he tripped and fell to the ground during the attack.  Bottom line – it takes an experienced attorney to maximize your potential recovery.

COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES

Another important aspect of dog bite cases is damages which means the amount of compensation you are entitled to recover.  The dog owner will likely have an experienced insurance adjuster defending the case who may offer a very small settlement to cover your out-of-pocket medical expenses.  In most cases, recovery of only medical expenses is not fair compensation.

The lawyers at Juneau, Boll & Stacy understand that in most dog bite cases, the medical expenses pale in comparison to other damages such as permanent scarring, mental anguish, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  We have a successful track record of recovering all types of damages which results in our clients receiving full compensation for their dog bite injuries.