Bit by a dog in San Jose? After medical treatment, you need to report the incident to animal control authorities immediately.
This straightforward guide will cover everything you need to know to document the bite accurately—from gathering key details and filling out forms to potential legal action.
Follow our advice to guarantee your dog bite claim gets filed completely and correctly on the very first attempt.
If a dog has bitten you or a loved one, the first call should be to 9-1-1 when the injuries are severe. For less serious bites or after receiving emergency services, you’ll want to contact the appropriate animal control agency to document the attack officially.
San Jose Animal Care and Services responds to all dog bite incidents in the South Bay. As the local animal control agency, they are responsible for enforcing laws related to dog attacks in San Jose. Their number is (408) 794-7297.
After contacting the agency, an animal control officer will prepare an official report on the bite incident. Having this official record in hand is crucial for several reasons.
Here is an overview of what you should do following a dog bite incident:
It may seem tedious, but these steps ensure you protect your health, establish official documentation early on, and preserve your ability to recover damages if warranted.
San Jose is a vibrant city with parks, trails, event spaces, and other community areas where people frequently encounter dogs. When dogs are allowed off-leash or behave aggressively in these areas, severe bites and attacks sometimes happen despite laws requiring control over animals.
The following public property areas managed by the city of San Jose or Santa Clara County present an elevated risk of dog bite incidents:
Owners who do not leash dogs properly or allow aggressive behavior in these public areas should be held accountable for any bites or trauma inflicted.
While some dog bites may only result in minor cuts or puncture wounds, others can cause the following extensive damage with expensive medical bills:
Children are especially vulnerable, suffering severe facial injuries in some cases. Adults often sustain damage to their arms or hands when protecting themselves from the dog while being bitten.
When an aggressive dog bites, it clamps down with considerable force – as high as 200 to 450 psi for powerful breeds. This force can easily crush bones or tear ligaments. Prompt emergency medical care is critical.
California has “strict liability” statutes on dog bites – meaning the law holds dog owners automatically responsible when their dog bites someone, regardless of breed or past behavior.
However, those laws hold exceptions. To recover damages, you must show that you did not contribute to the dog bite incident by trespassing or provoking the animal into biting you.
This situation is where contacting an experienced San Jose dog bite lawyer becomes extremely useful:
Relying on dog owners to voluntarily remedy the damage caused by their pets rarely works. Speaking with a San Jose personal injury lawyer protects your legal rights.
When a dog attacks you in California, you have two years from the bite date to take legal action if settlement negotiations fail with the owner and their insurance company.
This two-year window is known as the statute of limitations. If victims do not file a lawsuit before the deadline, the courts will likely bar their claim and dismiss compensation rights.
Consequently, retaining a qualified San Jose dog bite lawyer soon after an incident occurs is essential to preserving your ability to recover all damages when warranted.
We offer free case evaluations so those impacted by a dog attack can understand their options immediately.
California dog bite law allows compensation for a wide variety of damages when after establishing strict liability:
Experienced San Jose dog bite attorneys ensure the courts take note of every damage category when bringing a claim. We fight to prove maximum negligence so that you recover total compensation.
At LA Dog Bite Law, we assist dog bite victims across San Jose using our many years of experience handling animal attack cases specifically.
Benefits of our no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation include:
If attacked by a dog in the San Jose region, please contact us for a free consultation with our dog bite attorneys. We guide clients through the confusion – you focus on healing while we handle negotiations firmly.
Our reach extends throughout California, from the sunny streets of San Diego to the bustling cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and beyond. We’re here to help victims across the state report dog bites, find the legal support they need, and ensure that justice is served. By reporting dog bites and seeking assistance, we’re all doing our part in making our communities safer while helping victims get back on their feet.
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