Dog Bites

The Anaheim dog bite lawyers of Bisnar | Chase have been prosecuting negligent dog owners for years now, and while dog ownership has nearly stayed the same, dog bites and dog attacks have risen.  This could be due to several factors, but overcrowded areas and unpredictable weather have been linked to several attacks.  You're due just compensation if you've been bitten or attacked by a dog, and we can help you get it.

Dog owners are mostly responsible, but sometimes even the owners can't control their pets. Approximately 10-20 people die each year from dog attacks, with most of the victims being children.  Nationally, around 4.7 million dog bites happen every year - that's almost 13,000 per day!  It doesn't seem like a common occurrence, but sadly, it is. Read the rest »

A dog can be a man’s best friend or worst nightmare. In California, people love their dogs. They dress them, take them to dog parks, and bring them along for short car rides to run errands. While these adorable animals may be great companions, we shouldn’t forget about their animal instincts. Dogs do bite and sometimes disfigure or even kill unsuspecting victims.

If you speak to a California dog bite lawyer, you will soon find out that when a dog bites a person the dog’s owner is negligent. In fact, when your dog bites and attacks another person they will usually receive a recovery from the owner’s homeowner insurance or renter’s insurance policy.

California is one of many states referred to as a “statutory strict liability state.” Because California is under this law, there are only two prerequisites for a claim to compensation. 1. The victim was bitten by the defendant’s dog and 2. the defendant owned the dog when the victim was bitten. Read the rest »

Two girls, 12 and 9, were injured in a dog bite incident after a pit bull mix attacked them. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the dog attack occurred in a shopping center along 48th Avenue, near Jackson Street, in Coachella, the night of August 23, 2011. Riverside County Sheriff's deputies were called to scene after the pit bull mix attacked the children who were walking on the south sidewalk of 48th Avenue. The 12-year-old girl sustained a serious leg injury while the other girl suffered relatively minor injuries. Officers tried to control the dog. But when the dog attacked the officers, one of them shot the animal, killing it.

My heart goes out to these young dog bite victims, especially the girl who has suffered serious injuries. I wish them both the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Read the rest »

California leads the nation in the number of dog bite claims, according to a report released by State Farm Insurance. The Insurance Journal reports that State Farm recorded 369 dog bite claims and paid out $11.3 million in California in 2010. In 2009, the insurer paid out $90.1 million in dog bite liability claims nationwide compared to $83.2 million in 2008, $84.6 million in 2007 and $78.1 million in 2006.

Dog Bite Claims

In the year 2008, dog bite claims in the United States represented one-tenth of all claims. Also, children account for more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims, State Farm's numbers show. Of the 33 dog bites that resulted in death in 2010, 20 of the fatalities were young children, the company said. California led all states with the highest number of dog bite claims while Illinois (317 claims) and Ohio (215 claims) were second and third. Other states that made the top 10 list were Texas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Minnesota, New York and Indiana. Read the rest »

A dog bite incident in Bakersfield involving two pit bulls has left Alisha Billington and her family in fear, ABC News reports. Officials say the pit bull attack occurred on April 24, 2011. The Billington family dog, Dallas, was killed by two pit bulls that charged through their fence into their backyard. The dogs also turned and attempted to bite Billington's husband. Since no humans were injured in the incident, the authorities were not able take the dogs into custody. On April 28, 2011, the vicious dogs tore through the fence again. No one was injured that time either. One of the animals was surrendered to animal control after this second incident, but the seemingly vicious dogs continue to remain next door to this family. Billington says she now fears for the safety of her 2-year-old daughter.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family affected by this vicious Kern County dog attack. I wish them safety and peace of mind during this stressful time. Read the rest »

A 5-year-old girl was injured in a San Francisco area dog bite incident involving a vicious dog with a history of prior attacks. According a news report in the Oakland Tribune, the unprovoked attack occurred the afternoon of April 26, 2011. The dog owner, a friend of the girl's family, was visiting the family when the German Shepherd mix named Balto bit the girl on her right ear and severed the tip. The girls' parents took her to a local hospital where she was treated and released.

My heart goes out to this young dog bite victim. It is indeed fortunate that she did not sustain major injuries. I wish her the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.

According to the news report, the dog had a history of prior attacks and will be put to sleep when a10-day quarantine expires May 6. The owner of the dog has said he will not appeal the euthanization. This is also the second dog attack on a child in Fremont in less than a week. On April 25, a 7-year-old girl was bitten by a Labrador retriever mix. She suffered serious injuries such as bites and puncture wounds. Read the rest »

Officials are saying that charges are possible in a fatal dog bite incident, which killed 53-year-old Christina Casey in the backyard of her Moreno Valley home on November 2, 2010. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the fatal dog attack involved two pit bull mixes, which mauled Casey to death. The Riverside County District Attorney's office could file involuntary manslaughter charges against the dog owners who have not yet been identified. Police believe the dogs were owned by a neighbor. A forensic dentist confirmed that the pit bull mixes were responsible for Casey's fatal bites. Read the rest »

Sherrie Barnett, 54, was injured in a dog bite incident after she was attacked by a pit bull while walking her dogs in her neighborhood. The Daily Democrat reports that the vicious dog attack occurred on September 23, 2010 in Yolo County. The pit bull broke free of the tether holding it to a tree and attacked Barnett and her dogs. Barnett sustained injuries to her fingers and hands and has had to undergo rabies treatments because the dog was not vaccinated. Authorities impounded the pit bull for 10 days because it had an expired license. Read the rest »

A 4-year-old boy sustained major injuries in a dog bite incident in San Bernardino as he was spending time in a relative's house. According to a news report in The Press Enterprise, the boy and his mother were from Michigan visiting family members in San Bernardino. Police say the child was playing in the backyard of a home in the 1500 block of West Windsor Street and had just picked up a toy. That was when the pit bull attacked, unprovoked and without warning. The boy sustained severe bites to the back of his head, buttocks, arms and hands. However, he is expected to survive. The boy's mother and grandmother were also injured as they tried to get the dog off the child. No one has been arrested or charged. Read the rest »

Hao Yun "Eddie" Lin, a 33-year-old letter carrier, suffered fatal personal injuries the afternoon of May 25, 2010 after he was attacked by a Rottweiler on his Oceanside route, which caused him to fall and hit his head. According to a news report in the North County Times, Lin was found lying on the street with a major head injury that day and taken to a local medical center. He had severe brain swelling from the fall and died from those injuries on June 3. The Rottweiler that attacked Lin was put down at the owner's request, officials said. An investigation is ongoing. Read the rest »