Seguin Dog Bite Lawyer

Even well-trained and socialized dogs may still react aggressively to someone they think is threatening them or their owners, and poorly trained dogs may need little or no provocation to attack and seriously injure another person or animal. Fortunately, state law allows people injured by overly aggressive dogs to take legal action against the dog’s owner and demand civil restitution for their ensuing losses.

As any seasoned personal injury attorney can tell you, having legal grounds to sue another person over an injury does not guarantee you will get a favorable result from an actual civil claim. In fact, without a skilled Seguin dog bite lawyer on your side, you may have a hard time getting any civil restitution at all from this type of lawsuit or settlement demand, let alone the full amount you should be entitled to for your compensable damages.

Is There a One-Bite Rule Under State Law?

Just like automobile drivers have a duty of care requiring them to obey traffic laws and act responsibly behind the wheel, dog owners have a duty to keep their dog contained within their own property and leashed at all times while away from their property. Any dog owner who recklessly or carelessly allows their dog to escape their control and injure another person may be considered legally negligent and held liable for ensuing damages based on that negligence.

In addition, court precedent holds that a person who knows their dog has violent or aggressive tendencies based on a previous bite or other type of attack is strictly liable for any injury that dog causes to any other person through a subsequent attack. While this precedent is not enshrined in state law as a one-bite rule the way it is in some other states, a Seguin dog attack attorney can still help a person injured under circumstances like this demand compensation from the owner of the dog that attacked them without needing to prove the owner was negligent in any specific way.

How Comparative Fault May Impact Recovery

Support from legal counsel can also be vital to ensuring comparative fault does not unfairly reduce the amount of compensation someone hurt by a dangerous dog can receive for their damages. A court has the authority to assign percentages of fault to any injured person they deem partially responsible for causing their injuries through their own negligent conduct—for instance, by provoking a dog into attacking them.

Based on whether the assigned percentage of fault is less than or greater than 51 percent, the court can proportionally reduce the total compensation awarded to the injured person or bar them from recovery altogether, in accordance with Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §§ 33.001 through 33.017. A dog bite lawyer in Seguin can explain how this system functions in practice and offer guidance about working around it during a private initial meeting.

Consider Working With a Seguin Dog Bite Attorney

Domesticated dogs can and do cause serious injuries to people every day. Seeking fair financial recovery for this sort of harm is your right under state law and court precedent, but enforcing that right can be deceptively challenging to accomplish alone.

You have assistance available with your unique civil claim from a Seguin dog bite lawyer who knows how to get good results. Call today to discuss your legal options.