Dog bites can cause serious physical injuries that last for years and psychological trauma that lasts even longer. If someone else’s dog bit you in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, you should not have to pay the consequences. An experienced Palm Beach Gardens dog bite lawyer from Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers can meet with you to discuss your legal options. Call us today at (561) 944-4000 to get started with a free consultation.
How Our Personal Injury Law Firm Can Help After a Dog Bite
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is a full-service law firm. We help our clients with every aspect from beginning to end, including investigating the case, gathering evidence, handling communications with insurance companies, and fighting for maximum compensation.
Consider hiring our personal injury law firm serving the Palm Beach Gardens, FL, area for the following reasons:
- We have over 80 years of combined legal experience.
- We have recovered over $200 million in the last decade.
- Law firm partner Jordan R. Wagner is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and is a former insurance defense lawyer.
- Our attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.
- We are members of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
- We have been recognized by the Florida Bar as an expert in civil personal injury law.
- Our law firm has a “Superb” rating on Avvo, which rates and reviews lawyers nationwide.
Contact our award-winning firm to discuss your legal rights during a free, no-obligation consultation with a Palm Beach Gardens personal injury attorney.
How Common Are Dog Bites in Florida?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, approximately 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every year. About 800,000 of these dog bites are severe enough to require medical attention, with approximately 334,000 Americans admitted to U.S. emergency departments and 466,000 seen in other medical settings each year due to dog bites.
In 2023, 1,532 insurance claims related to dog bites were submitted in Florida. This is the second-highest state for dog bite claims after California. These claims were valued at $102.1 million.
Florida Dog Bite Laws
Most states take one of two approaches when it comes to dog bites. States that have a strict liability statute award the victim financial damages against the dog owner if the dog bites someone in a manner described in the statute. In these states, dog bite victims don’t have to show the owner was negligent.
In other states, a “one-bite” rule applies, which sometimes lets the dog owner out of the first bite since they may not have had reason to believe their dog was vicious if it never bit anyone before. Dog bite victims can recover compensation if they show the dog owner was negligent in allowing the bite to occur.
Florida is a strict liability state, so dog bite victims do not have to show the owner’s negligence or knowledge of any previous viciousness. For the strict liability law to apply, the following must be true:
- The dog bit you.
- You were lawfully on the property at the time of the bite, including on the dog owner’s property.
- You suffered damages as a result of the bite.
If the dog owner had a “Bad Dog” sign posted, the strict liability law does not apply, but you could still potentially recover compensation if you can show that the dog owner was negligent.
What Is My Palm Beach Gardens Dog Bite Claim Worth?
The value of your dog bite claim will largely depend on the seriousness of your injuries. Generally, the more severe your injuries, the more compensation you stand to receive because your medical bills will be higher, you may lose more time from work, and you may suffer for longer. Additional factors that can affect the value of your dog bite case include:
- Whether your injuries are permanent or temporary
- How long your medical recovery took
- The daily effects the dog bite has on your life
- How much time you lost from work
- The circumstances surrounding the bite
- Whether you contributed to the dog bite
- The insurance coverage available
- Where the dog bite occurred
- Who is legally responsible for the incident
An experienced dog bite lawyer can review your case and explain what it might be worth.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available for Dog Bite Cases?
If a dog bites you, you may be entitled to compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover financial losses you sustained as a result of the dog attack, such as:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Hospital stays
- Reconstructive surgery
- Follow-up care
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Personal property damaged during the attack
Non-economic damages compensate you for less tangible losses, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and psychological trauma
- Mental anguish
- Inconvenience and discomfort
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
After a thorough analysis, an experienced attorney can explain the damages that may be available in your dog bite case.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for the Dog Bite?
According to the Florida Health Department, the most common cause of dog bites was inappropriate behavior management across all age groups, which the department described as interacting with the dog while it was eating food, chewing on a toy, roughhousing, or touching or moving the dog against its will.
Florida’s strict liability law still allows you to seek compensation if a dog bit you, even if you are found to have contributed to the incident. However, your damages are reduced by your degree of fault. Therefore, if you suffer $100,000 in damages and are found to be 10% at fault, your damages are reduced by the proportionate $10,000.
We Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can cause serious injuries. During the attack, dog bite victims may fall, further harming themselves. Some injuries that occur more frequently with dog bites include:
- Traumatic brain injuries: These injuries can occur when the victim falls during the attack and bumps their head.
- Facial trauma: Many dog bite victims are children who suffer facial trauma when their dog bites their face.
- Puncture wounds: Puncture wounds occur when a dog’s teeth pierce the skin, often causing deep wounds and excessive bleeding.
- Lacerations: Lacerations are deep cuts or tears that go past the outer layer of skin, affecting the muscles, nerves, bones, and blood vessels underneath.
- Infections: A dog’s mouth is full of bacteria. A dog bite can introduce this bacteria into the wound, causing infections. In serious cases, septic arthritis can occur, which is an infection of the joint.
- Rabies: Rabies is a serious infection that can be fatal if not treated immediately.
- Tetanus: Sometimes, dog bites can result in tetanus, which is caused by the victims’ skin flora or the environment.
- Abrasions: Abrasions are grazes and scrapes that do not penetrate the outer layer of skin. Still, sometimes, these injuries can result in scarring or infections.
- Nerve damage: Nerve damage can occur due to the strength of a dog’s teeth and jaws. Nerve damage can result in paralysis or the loss of function of a body part.
- Avulsions: Avulsion injuries occur when a dog rips or tears skin or tissue from the body. These injuries can lead to the loss of body parts and permanent scarring.
- Crushing injuries: Attacks involving large dogs can result in crushing injuries that may break bones or injure soft tissues. Babies and young children are particularly susceptible to these injuries.
- Scarring and disfigurement: Many dog bites cause scarring or disfiguring injuries. Victims may also suffer from psychological trauma due to the attack or the effect seeing this painful reminder has on their lives.
- Broken bones: Victims can suffer fractured bones due to the force of the dog or bite or while falling during the attack.
- Death: Tragically, about 20 dog bites are fatal each year.
If you or a loved one suffered any of these injuries, contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers for assistance.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Palm Beach Gardens Personal Injury Lawyer?
At Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we work on a contingency-fee basis. We don’t want our clients to be worried about being able to afford our services, so we wait until we have recovered compensation for them before we are paid. We receive a percentage of the proceeds, which is outlined in your retainer agreement.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Florida?
The statute of limitations in Florida is two years from the date of the incident that harmed you. If you let this deadline pass without filing a dog bite lawsuit, you can lose your right to recover compensation through the courts. Contact us today to protect your rights.
Contact Our Palm Beach Gardens Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If someone else’s dog bit you, an experienced Palm Beach Gardens dog bite lawyer from Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers can meet with you to discuss your legal options. Call for your free case review.
