Animal Injury Attorney in Irvine

Animal injuries could be devastating, especially to younger children since it could be a very traumatizing experience for them. Children may try to reach over and pet the animal, only for the animal to bite them or attack them. 

Animal injuries could also be very devastating for older adults, who may suffer severe injuries that will take time to heal from. No matter what age you are, you deserve compensation for your injuries if you have been injured by an animal in Irvine, California. Animal owners have a responsibility in Irvine to make sure that their animals refrain from attacks, such as bites. In the event that an animal is not properly trained or controlled, the animal owner could be held responsible.

Each animal attack is different, especially because the owners of the animal may be different, and the injuries suffered may be different. That is why we recommend that you speak to our highly-rated attorneys to schedule a one-on-one to discuss your Irvine animal injury claim.

Could I file a lawsuit for an animal injury?

Yes, you could file a lawsuit for any injuries you have suffered from an animal attack in Irvine, California. Irvine follows California animal responsibility laws when it comes to victims getting compensated. For example:

• Strict liability: Strict liability means that the owner is responsible for any injuries that their animal has caused. Even if the owner was not negligent, and took necessary steps to prevent an attack or bite, they could still be held responsible under California’s strict liability laws.
• Negligence: If the animal attack does not fall under strict liability laws, then the animal injury victim could file a negligence lawsuit. Under negligence, the animal injury victim must prove that the animal owner had a duty to prevent the injury and control their animal, yet failed to do so which caused the accident.

What if I was partially responsible for my animal injuries?

Sometimes, an accident victim could be partially responsible for their own animal injuries since they may have provoked the animal. For example, if you touched the animal, poked the animal, or made loud sounds to the animal, you may have provoked the animal into attacking you.

At other times, you could be trespassing and be partially responsible for your injuries. For example, if you were on another person’s property without their permission, you may have your compensation reduced since you are partially responsible. 

How much is my  Irvine animal injury lawsuit worth?

As with any case, there are specific factors that will better help our attorneys when determining how much your animal injury lawsuit is worth. These factors include:

• The severity of your injury: This is probably one of the most common and important factors when it comes to recovering compensation. If you have suffered severe injuries, it may require medical treatments and surgeries, which could be very costly. You could seek recovery for any past medical expenses, along with any future medical expenses that you may need. 
• Location of the animal attack: If the animal attack occurred on public property, then you most likely are able to recover compensation. But if it occurred in another person’s home, there will then be an in-depth analysis into whether you were a trespasser or invited on the property.
• The responsible party: Sometimes, it could be very difficult to locate the animal owner since the animal may be a wild animal. In other circumstances, the animal may be owned or managed by a third-party company.
• The time you took off work: this also goes hand in hand with the severity of your injuries. The more severe the injuries are, the more time you have to take off work, and the more you may lose out in compensation. You have the right to recover compensation for the time that you spent out of work. 

What type of evidence will strengthen my Irvine animal injury lawsuit?

There are specific types of evidence that may strengthen your animal injury lawsuit. We recommend that you speak to our top-rated attorneys for more information, but generally, key pieces of evidence include:

• Accident reports: sometimes, incident reports may be written up by an employee of a facility. This accident or incident report will come in handy when filing a future lawsuit and getting information from all parties.
• Photos of your injuries: Photos of your injuries immediately after the accident could help our medical experts piece together the severity of your injuries.
• Medical records: Medical records are a great way to determine what injuries the accident victim has suffered. 
• Eyewitness statements: Eyewitness statements are a great way of piecing together how the accident happened, and the different parties involved.
• Surveillance footage: Sometimes, if an animal attack occurs at a business property, there is most likely a surveillance camera that records the entire animal attack. 

Could insurance cover an animal attack?

Yes, and in some circumstances homeowners insurance may cover responsibility and liability for the homeowner’s animal attack. But, it depends on the policy that the homeowner has. To look into your specific circumstance, give us a call. 

Animal Attack Injuries

Animal attack injuries vary depending on how the accident victim was injured, and the type of animal. Below are some examples of injuries that could result from an animal attack in Irvine:

• Lacerations: this is a very common injury since tears in the skin could occur from an animal attack.
• Broken bones: Animals, especially wild animals could lead to broken bones in the event that they collide with another human.
• Traumatic brain injuries: If the victim falls to the ground, they could suffer traumatic brain injuries. 
• Nerve damage: Nerve damage is very dangerous since it is not immediately felt after an accident. Nerve damage may result in loss of feeling, and could be permanent depending on the circumstances.
• Rabies: some animals, such as dogs, could carry rabies onto the accident victim.
• Scarring: lacerations and puncture wounds will most likely leave scars that may require surgeries.
• Disfigurement: In the event that the puncture wound was very deep and injured the muscle or tissue, disfigurement may result. 

What kind of compensation could I recover for an animal injury in Irvine?

The compensation you could recover depends on a case-by-case basis, but generally, some types of compensation include:

• Lost wages from work
• Treatments needed for the injuries
• Surgeries needed for the injuries
• Prescription medication needed for the injuries
• At home medical care
• Future lost wages

How much does an animal injury attorney cost? 

An animal injury attorney in Irvine varies on fees. But, our top-rated Irvine attorneys have contingency fees with our clients. Contingency fees are a contingency on the amount of compensation we recover. This means that if we recover compensation for you, our attorneys get paid.