Can I Sue After a Serious Dog Bite in San Antonio?

Did you know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are approximately 4.5 million dog bites every year? In San Antonio, Animal Control annually conducts hundreds of bite investigations and aggressive dog investigations in order to keep citizens safe. It is the owner’s duty to contain their dangerous animal; failure to do so is an egregious breach of responsibility.

Dog bites can be extremely dangerous injuries. In the years between 2003-2015, 34 people died of fatal dog bites in the state of Texas alone. These injuries can result in severe infections, disfiguring scars, or amputated limbs. Additionally, statistics show that children are at the greatest risk for these types of injuries, making up the highest percentage of fatal and non-fatal dog bite injury victims.

Can I sue after a serious dog bite? If you or your child have been injured by an aggressive dog, you may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit against the owners of the dog in question. In order to receive compensation, you can pursue either a strict liability or negligence claim. In either case, it must be established that you had no fault in causing your injuries and/or provoking the animal in question.

In a dog bite lawsuit, a strict liability claim means that the plaintiff was injured by a dog whose owner had prior knowledge was a bite risk. This charge carries heavier penalties than a negligence claim but requires a burden of proof (i.e. that the owner/possessor of the dog had knowledge of their dog’s aggressive tendencies).

The state of Texas is one of only a few states that do not have the “one bite rule.” This means that victims may still be eligible to seek compensation even if the dog in question has no history of aggressive behavior. If you were bitten by a dog who has no prior instances of violence, your San Antonio dog bite attorney may suggest you file a negligence claim rather than a strict liability claim.

Whether you choose to file a strict liability or negligence claim (and what damages you decide to include) depends on the circumstances of your particular injuries. To be safe, it is important that you contact a dog bite injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your legal options.

If you are considering filing a strict liability or negligence claim to seek compensation after a severe dog bite, consider the following:

1. The statute of limitations for dog bite injury claims is two years from the date of your injury.
2. Keep careful documentation of any injuries resulting from your bite.
3. Do not post about the incident on social media.
4. Find an attorney who has experience with dog bite injury lawsuits to represent your claim.

If you are searching for quality injury attorneys to represent your dog bite injury claim, contact the firm of Carabin Shaw. For the past three decades, our team of injury attorneys have protected victims of dog bites in the San Antonio area. We have helped recover millions of dollars in physical, financial, and emotional losses for accident victims like you.

As shown by Carabin Shaw’s client reviews, our accident attorneys are reliable, passionate, and experts in Texas injury law. If you or a loved one have suffered a severe dog bite in San Antonio, we would be proud to help you win the compensation you deserve. To schedule your no-cost, no-obligation consultation with our San Antonio injury lawyers, call our office toll-free at 800-862-1260 to speak with our 24/7 English and Spanish-speaking staff.