Were you or your child recently bitten by a dog in Clermont, Florida? Don’t let the dog’s owner off the hook. You deserve compensation, and the experienced Clermont dog bite lawyers at Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for financial justice.
Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers is a top-rated personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting the rights and futures of Clermont’s injury victims. We’re known as fearless legal advocates who don’t back down until our clients have been made whole. Backed by over 22 years of combined experience, we’ve forced powerful corporations, government agencies, and negligent parties to pay our clients $30 million (and counting) in settlements and jury awards.
Now, we’re here to help you take on a vicious dog’s owner and their insurance company, too. We offer a free consultation, so call (352) 773-3866 o contact us today.
How Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Help Dog Bite Victims in Clermont, FL
Dog bites can do quite a bit of damage. Physical injuries can be painful, debilitating, and, often, permanent. The trauma of being attacked by a dog can stay with a victim forever. While money won’t heal your physical wounds and emotional suffering, it can help you cope with the consequences of your dog bite injuries.
However, getting a dog’s owner to take responsibility for the harm you’ve suffered won’t be easy – especially when their insurance company gets involved. You’ll have one shot at getting compensation, so it’ll be important to enlist the help of a respected and successful Clermont personal injury lawyer.
At Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re known as passionate trial attorneys who don’t rest until our clients have been made whole. Recognized as Top 40 Under 40 litigators by the National Trial Lawyers and Super Lawyers Rising Stars, we’ve helped our clients win tens of millions of dollars after life-changing accidents, injuries, and deaths.
Now, we’re here to help you take a stand after you’ve been bitten by a dog. We’ll handle all aspects of your dog bite case, giving you time to focus on recovering from your injuries.
We will:
- Investigate the dog attack
- Gather relevant evidence, such as veterinary records, medical records, photographs of your wounds, eyewitness statements, video footage, and forensics reports
- Determine if anyone other than the dog’s owner might also be liable for your damages
- Calculate what your dog bite lawsuit is worth
- Enlist animal behaviorist specialists, veterinary professionals, medical specialists, and other expert witnesses to consult with our legal team
- File your dog bite claim with the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance company and/or local Lake County court clerk
- Engage the defense in meaningful settlement negotiations in an effort to secure a top-dollar monetary award on your behalf
- Bring your dog bite lawsuit to trial, if necessary
We represent victims of dog bites on a contingency fee basis. Pay nothing to hire our Florida dog bite attorneys in Clermont until we’ve won compensation for you.
There’s no cost for an initial case evaluation, either. So, don’t hesitate to call our Clermont, FL, law office today.
Understanding Florida’s Dog Bite Laws
Florida’s dog bite law is pretty straightforward – dog owners are strictly liable when their animal attacks someone.
Florida Statutes Section 767.04 explains that “the owner of any dog that bites any person while such person is on or in a public place, or lawfully on or in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, is liable for damages suffered by persons bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owners’ knowledge of such viciousness.”
Simply put, a dog’s owner is on the hook for injuries or deaths caused by a dog’s bite, even if the dog hasn’t bitten anyone in the past or shown any propensity to be vicious. The only exception is when the victim is trespassing and/or provokes the animal into the attack.
So, when you’re bitten by a dog in Clermont, you must simply prove:
- The dog was owned or under the control of the defendant
- The dog bit you, and
- You suffered injuries as a result.
You don’t have to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent in caring for the dog. However, negligence can be useful if you also pursue compensation from a third party in a related premises liability claim.
Dog bite cases can be a matter of premises liability if you were injured on someone else’s property. A property owner in Florida has a responsibility to protect you from reasonably foreseeable harm, which might include dog attacks. If a property owner knows or should know that a vicious dog is on their premises, they have to take steps to protect invited guests and visitors. Failure to protect you from the dog can result in liability if you’re attacked.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Every year, roughly 800,000 people visit the emergency room and/or hospital after being bitten by a dog. More than half of the nation’s dog bite victims are kids. In fact, dog bites are the second leading cause of avoidable injury in children.
Adults and children alike can suffer serious physical injuries when attacked by a dog, including:
- Puncture wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Crushing injuries
- Infections
- Eye injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
In fact, between 30 and 50 people die from dog bite wounds in the United States every year.
When you’ve been bitten by a dog, it’s important to report the attack to the local police and seek prompt medical attention. The sooner you get to the emergency room, the less likely it is that you’ll experience complications that could put your long-term health in danger.
What Compensation Can Be Awarded to Clermont Dog Bite Victims?
As the victim of a dog bite in Clermont, you can have the opportunity to request compensatory damages through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Compensatory damages are designed to help you navigate the financial costs of a dog bite, as well as the harder-to-value trauma you’ve experienced since the attack.
These awards are known as economic damages and non-economic damages, respectively, and can include money for:
- Hospitalization, surgery, medication, diagnostic testing, medical devices, and other current medical expenses
- Future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Lost wages and income
- Temporary and/or permanent disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Embarrassment
- Reduced quality of life
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
If you were bitten by a dog because of an owner’s gross negligence or intentionally harmful actions, you might also be able to receive punitive damages if your dog bite lawsuit goes to trial.
Our Florida dog bite attorneys in Clermont will work hard to build a claim that proves your losses and forces the defense to make things right. If the dog’s owner and/or insurance company refuses to make a fair settlement offer, they’ll have no choice but to go head-to-head against our award-winning Florida trial attorneys in court.
How Long Will I Have to File a Lawsuit If I’ve Been Bitten By a Dog in Florida?
Barring any exceptions, you’ll have two years from the date you were bitten by a dog to file a dog bite lawsuit.
Florida’s two-year statute of limitations can be tolled when a child is bitten by a dog. If no one files a claim on the child’s behalf, the child has until their 20th birthday to take legal action against the dog’s owner or another liable party.
Don’t delay calling a dog bite lawyer in Clermont, FL if you’ve been attacked. Acting quickly preserves evidence and witness testimony, supporting your compensation claim for costs and suffering.
Call Our Clermont Dog Bite Lawyers For a Free Consultation
Dog owners are responsible for the actions of their animals. Even when a dog’s owner takes all necessary precautions, they’re still accountable if their dog bites someone. As a victim, you must explore your right to receive compensation so that you’re not struggling with medical bills, lost wages, and other costs on your own.
Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight for a maximum financial recovery. Our Clermont dog bite lawyers have 22+ years of combined experience and a multi-million dollar track record of success. Now, we’re ready to be your most passionate advocate and help you demand top results for your dog bite injuries, too.
Your first consultation is free. Contact us to get started with a Clermont dog bite attorney.
