For any personal injury lawsuit, including dog bite cases, the plaintiff can potentially recover compensatory damages. Occasionally, a jury may award punitive damages as well, although this is less common. You may be wondering about the types of compensation that may be available to you— if so, contact a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer today from our firm. The initial case review is free of charge.
Compensation for medical bills
The medical bills from a dog attack can be substantial—in the tens of thousands of dollars. Even if you have health insurance, you can generally expect to pay a great deal out of pocket, especially if you required surgery or hospitalization. You might also require plastic surgery. Keep track of all of your medical expenses, including pharmacy co-pays, bills for ambulatory services, and vaccines. We can use your medical records and bills to demand compensation for these losses.
In addition, you may recover compensation for future medical expenses. For instance, you may require physical and occupational therapy. If you lost a limb, you might need prosthetic devices.
Compensation for lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
You may miss time at work during your initial recovery, and later on, you may miss additional time for physical or occupational therapy appointments. We will ask you to keep track of all of your lost wages. Finally, if you’ve suffered a permanent partial or total disability, you may also recover compensation for your loss of future earning capacity. This can be calculated based on your anticipated lifetime wages.
Compensation for your pain and suffering
Unlike adding up medical expenses and lost wages, calculating pain and suffering damages isn’t an exact science. Generally, however, the more severe your physical injuries are, the more you may recover for pain and suffering. For instance, if you lost a finger or limb in the attack, you would typically expect to recover more damages than if you suffered non-disfiguring, non-chronic injuries.
Compensation for property damage
Physical and mental injuries typically comprise the majority of damages available in dog bite cases. However, some victims may also recover compensation for property damage. For example, you may have been wearing expensive clothes at the time of the attack. If they were ruined, you could demand compensation for them. Some dog attacks occur when the victim is on a bicycle. In other cases, victims place their handbags or laptop bags between themselves and the dog. Any damage to items such as these should be reported to your lawyer.
The possibility of recovering punitive damages
Punitive damages are those awarded to punish the defendant for conduct that is particularly egregious. Under California law, punitive damages may be awarded if the evidence demonstrates that the defendant acted maliciously. It’s important to tell your lawyer about every detail of the attack to increase your chances of receiving maximum compensation.
Contact our team of Los Angeles dog bite lawyers today
We have successfully represented clients in the Los Angeles area since 1995. We’ve taken on some of the most complex cases and secured substantial settlements and jury awards on behalf of our clients.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries because of someone else’s dangerous dog, contact our Los Angeles dog bite attorneys today to request your free legal consultation. Since we never charge a legal fee unless we secure compensation for you, there is no risk for scheduling a complimentary case review.
