Contrary to popular opinion, dog bite injuries are often serious, causing grave harm to victims. Along with understanding what Texas personal injury laws say about dog bite attacks, you should equally retain a seasoned dog bite lawyer in Conroe to help you file a claim for compensation.
The Conroe personal injury lawyers from Lone Star Injury Attorneys understand how to approach a personal injury case for maximum compensation, either through filing a civil case in court or negotiating a settlement with insurance companies.
Consequences of a Dog Bite
If you or your loved ones have been attacked by a dog in Conroe, do not brush off the bites as minor injuries. It’s crucial that you get immediate medical attention to prevent further harm or infection. Typically, four major medical issues arise from a dog bite injury. They are:
- Infections: Pasteurella and MRSA are the most common infections likely to emanate from a dog bite. If left untreated, these infections can be very harmful.
- Rabies: If you don’t know the health history of the dog that attacked you, the dog could be having rabies. Given that rabies travels through saliva, it’s easily transmitted from the dog to the injured person through a minor or serious bite.
- Hemorrhage/Blood loss: Deep bites can result in the loss of too much blood. Some of these bite wounds may require surgery to close up. If the injured person bleeds too much without proper medical attention, he or she would be staring at a serious medical emergency.
- Tendons and Muscle Damages: Muscle damages are a common occurrence in dog bites. The severity is dependent on the force with which the dog pounces on the victim. But generally, these injuries require medical attention, too.
All the above-mentioned dog bite injuries necessitate the need for immediate medical evaluation. Not forgetting the psychological and emotional trauma that follows a dog attack.
Some of these injuries can be long-term, requiring regular visits to the doctor or resulting in permanent disability. Add this to your already-constrained finances, and you will have a reason to retain a skilled Conroe dog bite lawyer to spearhead the compensation process on your behalf.
For a free legal consultation with a dog bite lawyer serving Conroe, call (832) 449-8230
Understanding Dog Bite Laws in Conroe
Unlike other states, Texas does not have a statute laying out the dog owner’s liability in a personal injury case. But in a ruling made by the Texas Supreme Court in 1974 in a case pitting Marshall Vs Ranne, Texas follows the “One-Bite Rule” in personal injury cases resulting from dog bite attacks.
In simpler terms, the dog owner is not criminally liable for their dog’s first attack on someone else. However, the dog owner is put on notice of their dog’s tendency to bite. So if a similar attack occurs in the future, the injured party has the right to file a personal injury claim for compensation.
The Texas Health and Safety Code section 822.005 stipulates specific scenarios where the dog owner may face civil liability as well as criminal charges. These scenarios include:
- If the dog owner fails to secure their animal, and the dog attacks someone when unprovoked
- If the owner knows their dog is dangerous but doesn’t restrain it according to Texas laws
- If any of the abovementioned situations result in death or serious harm
Conroe Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (832) 449-8230
You Can Easily Prove Negligence Instead of the One-Bite Rule
In Conroe and Texas as a whole, personal injury cases are generally determined based on negligence. This is a good alternative to the one-bite rule. All that your Conroe dog bite lawyer needs to prove as the proximate cause of your injuries includes:
- The defendant owned the dog
- The defendant owed you a legal duty of care
- The defendant breached this duty of care
- The breach caused you harm
- You suffered damages
If, for any reaso,n you fail to prove any of these elements, your case might be dismissed. So to prevent such a scenario, you should have the best attorney working on your case, and there’s no better place to find a skilled Conroe dog bite lawyer than Lone Star Injury Attorneys.
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Contact Our Conroe Dog Bite Lawyers Today
If you suffered serious harm in a Conroe dog bite attack, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code 16.003 allows you up to 2 years to file a claim for compensation. Failure to meet these deadlines will ultimately lead to the dismissal of your case.
Our Conroe dog bite lawyers can help you meet this and other complex legal requirements in your pursuit of justice. Call Lone Star Injury Attorneys today to learn more about dog bite injury cases in Conroe.
Call or text (832) 449-8230 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form