Can I sue After a Dog Bite in San Antonio

San Antonio is home to just as many animals as humans; unfortunately, many of them are freely roaming the streets. Dogs left unsupervised and unaccounted for are unpredictable and unsafe, and sometimes the unfortunate result is an attack. San Antonio dog bites and animal attacks are not uncommon, and while a majority of the danger is posed by stray animals, attacks can also come from legitimately owned pets.

When injuries are suffered due to an owner’s negligence, there is a possibility that victims can sue after a dog bite in San Antonio. In order to file a personal injury claim against a dog bite, victims need to be armed with knowledge of whether their case qualifies, as well as a knowledgeable and competent attorney.

Suing an owner over a dog bite may not always seem like an attractive course of action, but sometimes there is no alternative for recourse, leaving it the only option for victims to cover losses. Injuries resulting from dog attacks can be severe and lead to expensive recovery costs, and victims may find themselves facing mounting medical bills for treatments such as:

• Lacerations and bite punctures
• Broken bones
• Infection and septicemia
• Reconstructive surgery
• Amputation
• Prescription medication
• Long-term care and rehabilitation

In addition to medical expenses, dog attacks can also have financial consequences in other ways. Victims may lose income from work missed while recovering, or worse, their injuries may be so severe they lose the ability to work in San Antonio completely. They may also be left with significant emotional and psychological trauma, which may require professional treatment and leave inner scars for years to come. The assistance of an attorney is often crucial to ensuring all of these damages are included in a compensation claim.

There are specific guidelines that determine whether victims can sue after a dog bite in San Antonio. In Texas, liability of a dog or other pet’s behavior falls upon the owner, but owners can only be held responsible for compensation if the attack was the direct result of their negligence. In a personal injury lawsuit, owner negligence can be shown by an attorney in two ways:

1. The bite was from a dog whose owner had prior knowledge of aggressive behavior or a previous attack in San Antonio.
2. The bite directly resulted from the owner’s negligence in controlling the dog’s behavior or preventing an attack.

This leaves a few common defenses for dog owners and their attorneys. If the owner legitimately did not know the dog posed a danger to others, they cannot be held liable. Owners are also not liable if they can prove they did everything in their power to prevent an attack from occurring. Additionally, if the attack occurred while trespassing on private property in San Antonio, victims have no right to sue at all.

If you still are unsure if you can sue after a dog bite in San Antonio, or have other questions that need answers, speak to a San Antonio dog bite lawyer at Carabin Shaw. For over twenty-two years, our personal injury attorneys have represented clients across Texas and winning their due compensation in a wide variety of cases, dog attacks being no exception.

If you’ve suffered injuries due to a dog or other pet attack in San Antonio, find out what your options are in a free case consultation with our attorneys. Our representatives can take calls in both English and Spanish, and they are available 24 hours a day. If your case qualifies, our attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, so you never pay out of pocket for their services.

Don’t hesitate; get the answers and peace of mind you need by calling the law offices of Carabin Shaw in San Antonio today at 210-222-2288 or toll-free at 1.866.862.1260.