3 Theories Commonly Used in Dog Attack Cases

Dogs are often used for personal or security purposes because they are fun to take care of and they can vicious when they need to protect their owners. However, their aggressive characteristics can sometimes lead to attacks, especially if they were not properly secured by their owner.

A Los Angeles dog bite attorney can help you take legal action if ever you were bitten or attacked by a dog. He will increase your chances of being compensated by using one of these theories as the basis of your case:

1.    Strict liability- A dog owner will be held responsible if his pet has bitten someone, regardless of his negligence and knowledge about the animal’s dangerous characteristics.

California has imposed its own dog bite statute. You may be able to win the case using this statute if a Los Angeles injury attorney can prove that:

·         You suffered dog bite

·         You were injured due to the dog bite

·         You were in a private place (with permission from the owner) or in a public place when you were bitten by the dog

·         The defendant is the rightful owner of the animal

In California, a person may still be held liable for the victim’s dog bite injuries even if he is not the documented or actual animal owner. He may be considered as such if he has custody of it.

2.    Negligence- The dog owner may be held liable in the attack even if he did not violate dog control laws or if the animal did not show any vicious behavior before it occurred. A lawyer may establish the defendant’s guilt by showing that the latter failed to exert reasonable care when controlling or handing his pet.

3.    Negligent entrustment- You may use it as a basis of your case if the dog involved in the attack was entrusted by its owner to someone who is incapable of securing it.

For example, a dog owner left a dog to his child because he will go to a mall or watch a movie. Because the child does not know how to control the animal, it was able to get out of the house and attack someone. In this case, the owner may still be held liable for the victim’s injuries though he was not present at the time of the accident because he let his child watch over the animal.

If you have questions about the different theories used in dog attack cases, you can seek legal advice from an expert lawyer of Mesriani Law Group by calling (310) 826-6300.