Vegas Injury Attorney Zachary D. Clayton Describes Legal Procedure of a Civil Suit for Animal Attack
If you are attacked by a dog or other animal, you can take some comfort in knowing that you are not alone.
In the United States, millions of people are attacked by animals each and every year and hundreds of thousands of people have to go to the hospital for treatment related to animal attack injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here are some additional public data that is quite concerning relative to animal attacks:
- Children are 3 times more likely than adults to get serious animal attack injuries
- 58 percent of all deaths from animal attacks occurred on a pet owner’s property
- 50 percent of all animal attacks involved children under the age of 12
- 70 percent of all fatal animal attacks involved children under the age of 10
If an animal attacks you, it’s only fair that you should have the opportunity to hold its owner responsible for your losses and harms. The aggressive and skilled animal attack professionals at LV Personal Injury Lawyers understand that owners of pets have a duty to have their animals trained, to the point where people around them comfortable.
When owners of pets neglect their responsibilities, claims of civil liabilities may ensue. This occurs after an animal injures a human. Animal attacks can lead to emotional trauma, scarring, and permanent disfigurement. You could end up developing PTSD, accumulate expensive medical bills, and possibly need time off your job in order to recover. Each one of these factors warrants financial restitution.
Proof Associated with the Attack
For a case to be evaluated, an animal attack attorney in Las Vegas must assess the attack’s nature, which includes offensive and defensive aggression and attack history. The attorney will determine if an attack involves shaking, numerous wounds on various areas of your body, or refusal by the animal to cease the attack. Such behavioral issues are examples that could be of significance in your claim.
It’s also vital to establish if the dog was behaving defensively or offensively and whether it acted of its own volition or was provoked.
An experienced animal attack lawyer in Nevada will talk about these facts as they comb through your case. Our law firm will work alongside you to collect important evidence, such as police reports and eyewitness testimonies, in addition to:
- How bad your emotional and bodily injuries are.
- The animal’s medical health.
- The accident’s location.
- The animal’s history.
Making Animal Dog Owner Accountable for Your Losses and Harms
To make the owner of a pet accountable for the bite injuries you sustained, you must prove that negligence was exhibited by them. To prove negligence, the victim of an animal attack must show evidence that the owner did not exhibit reasonable care in order to stop the injury from happening, and it happened because of a lack of care. Lastly, you must prove that your damages (like lost wages, medical expenses, etc.) came about because of the injury. This precedent was set in Harry v. Smith, Nev. 1995, 893 P.2d 372.
The law in Nevada does not force owners of pets to have pre-existing knowledge of an animal’s dangerous propensity. It is imperative to understand this if you endeavor to obtain financial restitution through civil action.
When pet owners violate these kinds of laws, and someone sustains serious injuries because of such neglection, they need to be held responsible by way of “negligence per se.” No extra evidence is required to prove that someone exhibited negligence, making them responsible for sustainable injuries. There is something called a “leash law” that helps humans feel safe when animals are around. If someone gets bit by a dog off its leash, the owner may be considered “negligent per se.”
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Financial Restitution Available to Animal Attack Victims
Each case our Las Vegas personal injury attorneys represent requires an accomplished approach to pursuing the necessary damages our clients deserve from the animal owner who is liable for their injuries. This can include compensation for:
- Medical treatment, including current and future bills, medication, and rehabilitation
- Lost wages, including current and future lost income that results from the injuries
- Pain and suffering, including physical and emotional stress from catastrophic injuries
What Is the Length of Time One Has To Have a Claim Filed for Injuries That Came About From an Animal Attack in Las Vegas?
If you wish to hold a pet owner accountable, you have two years to do so. This deadline might slip through your fingers if you don’t act posthaste, causing you to lose your opportunity to have a claim filed. Prevent this from happening by contacting a Las Vegas animal attack lawyer right after an incident.
Plenty of work goes into case preparations before a claim is filed. A personal injury lawyer will gather and preserve evidence. Our law firm will also navigate you through each step required so that you can get the compensation and medical treatment you need.
Contact LV Personal Injury Lawyers – Allow Us to Be Your Representatives
If you or someone you love were harmed in some sort of animal attack in Las Vegas, you’ll need to take action in order to get the monetary restitution you need. Contact the professionals at our law firm now. LV Personal Injury Lawyers will work hard as your representatives. Our staff of knowledgeable and experienced attorneys will put in the time necessary to get the monetary restitution you expect.
To schedule a no-charge confidential evaluation, call or contact us through our website.