If you have faced the consequences of a dog bite injury, continue reading and give our legal team a call today to speak with a skilled Houston dog bite lawyer to discuss your options. Here are some questions you may have:
WHAT STEPS SHOULD I TAKE AFTER A DOG BITE INJURY?
It is no surprise that dog attacks can be traumatic and result in severe physical, emotional, and financial burdens. In most cases, nothing can be done until the ambulance reaches the scene. However, if you are able, you should take certain steps to document the incident and make sure that you obtain the medical treatment you need. If you can, try to take the following actions:
- Seek medical treatment immediately. Call the police for an ambulance if needed.
- Obtain the dog owner’s contact information, in addition to the contact info of anyone who saw the attack occur.
- Take plenty of pictures and videos of your injuries.
- Keep a copy of medical documentation pertaining to your injuries.
- Hire the services of one of our Houston personal injury attorneys who can help gather further information to help you succeed in your personal injury claim. Some of this information can include reports from neighbors about the dog’s behavior, surveillance footage of the attack, and veterinarian records concerning the dog’s temperament, medical condition, and/or history of violence.
WHAT IS THE “ONE BITE RULE” IN TEXAS?
If an individual is attacked by a dog unprovoked in Texas, the state will typically follow the “one bite” rule. Essentially, in most cases, if this is the dog’s first attack and the owner had no reason to expect the dog would attack, the victim will often not have a valid claim. However, you may have a case if you were attacked and can demonstrate that dog has attacked a person in the past and the dog owner either knew or should have known of the dog’s disposition for violence or aggressiveness.
If a dog has previously attacked a person, its owner must take the required steps to keep control of the dog and ensure it doesn’t attack anyone again. If a dog owner failed to do so and you were attacked, it is in your best interest to reach out to our Houston personal injury attorneys as soon as you are able to. You should recognize, however, that if the dog owner can demonstrate that you were either trespassing or you otherwise provoked the dog to attack in some way, you may not have a viable case.
CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED HOUSTON PERSONAL INJURY FIRM
If you require legal representation for personal injury matters, look no further than The Gonzalez Law Group. Schedule your initial consultation with our team to learn more about our services and how we can assist you. Contact us today.
