California dog owners are liable when their dogs bite. Riders bitten while on a bicycle can seek support for their medical bills and their lost income while missing work.
Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield comes to the aid of dog bite victims to see that they receive support while in recovery. We also want to see injured bicyclists get the care they need to ensure they can get back on their bikes again. We offer a free, no-obligation case consultation to all injured riders to discuss how to hold pet owners and insurance companies fully liable.
How Do I Decide If I Need a Lawyer After Getting Bitten While on a Bike?
Generally, if there are only very minor scratches or cuts to report, you may be able to handle your case yourself and come out okay. However, when injuries are more serious, like a deep wound or broken bones, victims may need the protection and financial advantage a Bakersfield dog bite lawyer provides.
When serious bite injuries cause bigger medical bills, perhaps from surgeries and physical therapy, insurance adjusters are instructed to limit what you receive. They may try to blame you for instigating the attack or attempt to cast doubt on how much your wound will affect your life.
Your attorney fights back on your behalf, investigating your accident and the dog’s history so the blame stays in the right place. The legal knowledge of an experienced attorney often means you’ll be getting much more for your injury than if you decide to handle your claim yourself.
Who Is Liable If I Get Bitten By a Dog While Biking?
California follows the legal concept of “strict liability” when it comes to dog bites. It means that if a dog bites, then the owner is responsible, usually the circumstances don’t matter. Cyclists chased down and bitten can file a claim without proving any negligence on the dog owner’s part. They just have to show they received a bite wound.
The dog doesn’t have to have a record of aggression either. The dog owner is liable for the medical bills and other damages from the first bite incident on.
There are a few situations where the dog owner could escape blame.
- If the cyclist was riding on private property uninvited
- If the cyclist was found to have provoked the dog
Otherwise, the dog owner is usually accountable. A claim is usually filed against the owner’s homeowners or renter’s insurance.
Can I Earn Support If a Dog Chases My Bike and Knocks Me Down?
In accidents where a dog knocks someone off a bike or sends them into traffic to get hurt, victims could still file a personal injury claim. But if no bite occurred, the benefits of strict liability and the ease of proving who was to blame couldn’t be relied upon.
Some proof showing the dog owner was negligent (e.g., letting the pet off-leash or not providing a strong enough backyard fence) would be necessary. Victims would also need to prove the dog caused the fall or collision with another object.
A skilled Bakersfield Dog Bite Lawyer could help you prove what happened, who caused your tumble from a bike, and help you get the maximum in support.
Dog Bite Dangers for Bakersfield Cyclists
Riders head out on Bakersfield streets and bike trails to get some exercise or to get somewhere. They must watch the actions of drivers in some areas, but they must also monitor for dogs on the loose or at the end of long leashes coming after them.
A rider may be in Vista Valley Estates, enjoying a neighborhood ride, when a dog escapes through a backyard gate that wasn’t latched. Cyclists may be riding in a park like Kern River Park when someone makes the reckless choice to let a dog loose to run in the grass.
Dogs can see a moving object like a bike and give chase. They can catch riders and bite them on the closest body parts that will likely be thighs, ankles, knees, and feet. The jaw of a dog can gash the skin and even break leg and foot bones. The rider will also often end the encounter by falling from the bike to risk injury again on the road surface or even in the path of vehicles.
Riders must steer clear of insurance tactics and hold dog owners fully responsible. They’ll need support for their current medical bills and also for the care they may need in the future when an injury flares up and keeps them off their bikes all over again. A skilled Bakersfield bike accident lawyer would demand support for medical expenses and much more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I wait before filing a dog bite bicycle accident claim?
You can’t wait longer than two years, because that’s the statute of limitations on personal injury claims in California. If you file a dog bite claim beyond that time limit, it will likely be thrown out.
How will I afford to pay a dog bite lawyer while trying to cover my hospital bills?
Our Bakersfield lawyers work under contingency agreements. It’s a contract that states the lawyer doesn’t earn anything unless the case is won. If the case is lost, you don’t owe Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield any money. If the case is successful, you still don’t have to find the money to pay us. Our fee is covered out of the settlement check that an insurance company must provide for you.
What is the dog owner responsible for after a bite on a cyclist?
Your settlement check needs to cover all of the medical bills you currently have on your desk, and the costs of any medical care you’ll need in the future. The paychecks and benefits you’ve lost while you must be absent from work should also be returned to you. Non-economic damages, such as the pain you endure with an injury, should be compensated. The emotional distress you are left with after a frightening encounter with a dog and a crash must earn compensation. The cost of repairing your bike should be included in any check. Your attorney would make sure these and other damages were considered in any settlement offer.
Contact a Dog Bite Attorney Who Backs Your Claim with Evidence and Fights to Earn You More
We will mention it again because it’s so important in these cases…our attorneys never want to see you struggling to pay medical bills after a dog bite incident. Those costs are the responsibility of the dog owner and their insurance providers.
Our Bakersfield dog bite accident attorneys are ready to get aggressive with insurers who don’t immediately accept blame for a dog owner’s negligence. In the case of an injured cyclist, we want to see victims healed and back on their bikes with enough support to restore their lives back to normal.
If you have a serious dog bite injury, contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield to schedule a free consultation. It’s a confidential, no-obligation review of your case with a real dog bite lawyer.