Experienced With Dog Bite And Attack Cases
Attorney Pitcaithley has, in just the past 25 years of his 40-year practice, handled 17 separate dog attack and dog bite cases including five cases for letter carriers working for the U.S. Post Office in La Mesa. Attorney Pitcaithley has also represented children who have suffered permanent disfigurement from dog attacks and dog bites. These dog bite cases can involve non-complex bite injuries to the leg, ankle and hands, and they can also involve severe and even catastrophic injuries to the face and lower extremities. Many of these cases involve a large domestic dog with dangerous propensities that can knock people down during an attack and bite incident, such as a Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Doberman, and Shepherd.
Aggressive dogs are to blame for millions of dollars in claim’s paid by insurance companies nationwide. California leads the pack with the most dog bites in the country. In 2018, 2,166 insurance claims were made for bites, at an average cost of $45,543 — for a total payout by insurers of $98.6 million.
See https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-worst-states-dog-bites.
The challenge in these kinds of premise liability cases is making certain the dog owner, or the custodian or keeper of the dog at the time of the incident, has a “deep pocket”, meaning the responsible dog owner/custodian is insured or is financially viable without insurance. Many homeowner insurance companies now exclude coverage for dogs with certain known dangerous propensities.
The law that applies in these cases can a be a challenge because it is different depending on the relationship of the person in control of the dog at the time of the incident as compared to the owner if the person in control was not the owner. The law is different when the dog bites and injures, and when the dog attacks and injures but does not bite. Local city and county animal control regulations overlap with established state statutes and judicial authority making this area of the law confusing for a lay person.
If you or someone you know is injured as a result of a dog attack and/or dog attack and dog bite, you need to speak with Attorney Pitcaithley. There is no substitute for experience in the handling of what can be a difficult case to evaluate for settlement or trial. Attorney Pitcaithley has enjoyed repeated success in recovering for his injured clients all medical bills, past and future, all wage loss, past and future, and typically a large sum for the client’s mental and emotional distress and for post traumatic stress that is often associated with dog bite cases, particularly involving children. Attorney Pitcaithley has successfully litigated these cases achieving recoveries that also include compensation for pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
You may contact Attorney Pitcaithley to arrange for a free consultation on your case. You may also email Attorney Pitcaithley to arrange for a consultation.