In Riverside County a young man was bitten by a German shepherd dog after he had offered the dog a bowl of water on a hot day.
After noticing the German shepherd wandering the neighborhood, the 20-year-old victim approached the dog and offered it a bowl of cool water. The dog took a drink and then unexpectedly rose on its haunches and placed its paws on the young man, proceeding to bite him.
Friends and Neighbors Come to Aid
Fortunately there were a number of friends, family, and neighbors around who bore witness to the attack. Initially they punched and kicked at the dog in an attempt to force it to loosen its grip on the young man. Eventually they resorted to stabbing the dog with steak knives, which finally freed the young man from the dog’s jaws.
According to Riverside County Department of Animal Services, the dog had to be euthanized due to the injuries sustained from the stab wounds. A microchip also identified the German shepherd as formerly being a part of the Los Angeles County K9 law enforcement team.
Why Your Compensation May Be Limited
The dog in the story was found lying on the front lawn of a home, but it was not confirmed whether or not that lawn belonged to the person who owned or who was taking care of the dog.
The state of California is considered to be a “strict liability” state. This means that an owner is not able to claim that he or she is not liable for a dog bite by stating that they had no idea that their dog was aggressive.
The issue that many victims face however, is proving who is the owner of the dog. Without being able to demonstrate proof of who owns the dog, the amount of compensation available may be limited. Victims may also have to prove that the dog’s handler or caretaker was aware that the dog was aggressive and that they, the victim, was not trespassing on private property, in order to be eligible for a financial reward.
Understanding Your Rights and Proving Fault
Binder & Associates represents victims of dog bites and helps these individuals secure the greatest amount of compensation available to them under California law.
Our accomplished Encino personal injury attorneys offer free consultations to dog bite victims. To schedule your free consultation with one of our Encino dog bite attorneys, please call (818) 659-8588 today.
