The Law Offices of James G. Graver, P.A., represent Lake Worth dog bite accident victims who have suffered injuries due to a dog owner’s negligence. Our Lake Worth Dog Bite Accident Lawyers secure full support for victims so they have what they need to recover physically, emotionally, and financially.
We provide a free, no-obligation case consultation to all victims with serious injuries. Contact us to schedule a confidential case review. It’s a chance to determine what your dog bite injury is worth and to find out how to hold insurance companies for at-fault dog owners fully liable.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Lake Worth Dog Bite Injury?
If a frightening dog bite incident results in a serious injury, something more than just scratches and soreness, a skilled dog bite lawyer may be able to get more for you for your injury claim. A Lake Worth dog bite attorney is also a safeguard from the tactics insurance companies use to limit what victims receive. Insurers would even be happy to reject your claim outright if they can get away with it.
They do this when injuries are serious, because, naturally, the medical expenses will be going higher and higher. Dog bite victims can need multiple surgeries to restore the full use of their hands or ankles. They may need months of physical therapy to restore their mobility. Insurance adjusters want to avoid taking responsibility for expensive recoveries like this.
Your lawyer fully investigates your case and gathers evidence and witness testimony. This builds a strong case that insurance companies for at-fault dog owners will have trouble dismissing. A skilled lawyer is also a strong negotiator and works to secure every benefit available for you
Dog Bite Injury Dangers in Lake Worth
The Florida Department of Health reports that each year over 600 Floridians are hospitalized due to dog bites. On average, two Floridians die from dog bites each year.
Dog bite wounds are often hard to heal from when infections arise due to the bacteria that exist in an animal’s mouth. Victims may also suffer broken bones, especially in the hand, nerve damage, and soft tissue damage.
Child victims can suffer head and neck wounds because they are closer to the ground and closer to a dog’s mouth. Children are also more susceptible to internal organ damage caused by puncture wounds from a dog’s teeth. Their organs are closer to the surface of the skin and easier for a dog to break through and latch on to.
Is a Dog Owner Responsible for a Dog Bite in Florida?
Florida remains a “strict liability” dog bite state. It means that Florida dog owners are usually held accountable. In some states, dog owners aren’t responsible for bite recovery costs if their dogs don’t have a known history of being aggressive or threatening. Pet owners often aren’t held liable for a “first bite” incident.
But in Florida, dog owners are usually liable for the actions of their pets, even if the dog has never bitten anyone before. That’s where the strict liability comes in. Dog owners are even liable when their dogs bite someone inside an off-leash dog park like Lake Woof Dog Park.
Dog owners are liable for bites except under these circumstances:
- The victim was trespassing at the time of the bite.
- The victim provoked the dog.
In some cases, a dog owner may claim that a dog was defending its owner when it bit someone. If proven, this may reduce the dog owner’s liability. If someone saw a “beware of dog” sign and still entered a property, they may lose out on the chance to get help with the costs of recovery after a bite. This law wouldn’t apply to children six and under.
Who Else Could Be Responsible for a Dog Bite in Lake Worth?
Property owners may also bear some financial responsibility if someone gets bitten on their residential property. A landlord who knows that a tenant has a dangerous dog could be liable if nothing is done about the problem. This includes apartment owners.
For bites that occur at off-leash dog parks, the City of Lake Worth probably wouldn’t be liable. Public dog parks are usually marked as “use at your own risk” spots. The same protection would usually apply to property management companies at apartment complexes that have small private dog parks.
But if you aren’t sure if you are owed compensation from a dog owner or any other party, take advantage of a free consultation with The Law Offices of James G. Graver, P.A., in Lake Worth to make sure.
Compensation Available After a Lake Worth Dog Bite Injury
Dog bite victims often need intense physical therapy to restore their control of fingers, hands, and legs. This care can go weeks or months beyond an initial exam. Victims can need surgeries to make sure bones heal right. They might need restorative surgery down the road in order to minimize the appearance of a scar or disfigurement. They may have to spend the rest of their lives with a limp or numbness.
The point is that dog bite patients should not have to worry about the cost of their medical care now or in the years ahead.
A skilled Lake Worth Dog Bite Lawyer makes sure all of a client’s hardships are listed in an injury claim. A lawyer backs these damages up with evidence for each one and demands compensation in the form of a dog bite settlement check.
These and other factors all help determine the level of compensation you will receive:
- Current hospital bills and the cost of care expected to be needed in the future.
- Estimates on lifelong support for victims who suffer permanent disabilities and disfigurements.
- Travel costs for doctor’s appointments during a time when victims may be unable to drive. Patients could be in a cast or using a wheelchair and require the help of a shuttle service.
- Support for the physical pain patients endure.
- Support for the emotional trauma caused by a frightening dog attack and a difficult recovery. Victims may suffer from depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms.
- Reimbursement for the paychecks victims lose while missing work during recovery.
- Dog bite wrongful death benefits. Support for families who tragically lose a loved one in an accident. Families must receive help paying for a funeral and burial and ambulance and hospital bills. They should also be supported in the future as they move forward without the guidance and financial support the victim would have continued to provide.
What If My Child Gets Bit By a Dog in a Palm Beach County Incident?
Parents and guardians must proceed carefully on behalf of child dog bite victims. Children are far too often the victims of dog bites because of their natural curiosity and their smaller stature. Unfortunately, those dog bites can do even more damage to a still-developing body.
In fact, in some cases, child victims have trouble in their teen years due to an injury suffered years before. An old dog bite wound or broken bone may restrict normal development in bones and muscles. This is why a Lake Worth Dog Bite Lawyer would be fighting to get a child adequate support to cover any care and surgeries needed in the years ahead as they mature.
Contact a Lake Worth Dog Bite Accident Lawyer
Our firm knows how difficult it can be to deal with insurance companies after a traumatic accident like a dog bite. Don’t do it alone. Allow the Lake Worth Dog Bite Lawyers at the Law Offices of James G. Graver, P.A., to fight on your behalf to earn the full amount of compensation available for your injuries.
We are committed to working to make sure that you have all of the resources available so that you can fully recover from your injury or loss. Contact us today to schedule your free and confidential dog bite accident case consultation.
There’s no obligation, but you don’t need to have any money on hand to hire us to represent your case. We don’t get paid unless we win your dog bite case for you. Then our fee comes out of the dog bite settlement you receive.
