Galveston Dog Bite Lawyer

More and more people in Galveston are getting pets. These animals bring people unconditional joy and many consider their dogs to be part of their family. Unfortunately, these pets can still attack people. Dog bites can cause unimaginable pain, and the effects of an animal attack can linger with a person and their family for many years to come.

If somebody’s pet attacked you, you might have grounds to bring a personal injury suit for financial compensation. An informed Galveston dog bite lawyer could discuss the local dog bite laws and advise you on your chances of prevailing in a legal claim.

Relevant Dog Bite Laws in Galveston

Some states operate with a strict liability standard. In those states, a dog’s owner is strictly liable for the cost of the injuries sustained in an animal attack, regardless of whether they acted negligently. The laws in Texas are not as favorable to survivors or victims of dog attacks.

Texas courts generally operate with a one-bite standard. Under state law, a dog bite survivor would need to prove that the dog’s owner knew that their pet had bitten or attempted to bite a person in the past. An injured claimant would need to demonstrate that the dog had a history of aggressive behavior. To prevail, they would also need to show that the dog’s owner or caretaker was negligent by not taking reasonable precautions to control their dog and prevent it from biting someone.

A Galveston attorney could help by investigating the circumstances of the dog bite. They could interview eyewitnesses to the attack to see if they noted the dog’s behavior leading up to the incident. They would also visit with the owner’s neighbors and other people familiar with the dog to see if it had a prior history of aggression. If the dog did have a previous biting history, a skilled attorney could follow up to see if the pet owner took reasonable actions to control their dog, such as by keeping it on a leash or inside a fenced yard.

Types of Injuries that Follow Dog Attacks

Dog bites can cause a significant number of injuries, such as the following:

• Lacerations, cuts, and abrasions
• Permanent, disfiguring scars
• Puncture wounds
• Loss of tissue
• Broken bones
• Infections and rabies

Many different factors play a role in how severe a dog bite is, such as the dog’s breed and the victim’s size. Sadly, dog bites on children are more common and often more severe. Unlike adults who usually suffer bites to their legs or defensive wounds on their arms, children often suffer bite wounds to their face because they are so much lower to the ground. They have less fear of dogs and do not know how to behave with them. Without meaning to, kids tend to provoke dogs by pulling their tails or putting their face right up to a dog’s face.

Experienced Galveston attorneys understand how devastating animal bites and attacks can be. They work hard to hold the dog’s owner accountable for their negligence.

Contact a Galveston Dog Bite Attorney Today

The physical, emotional, and financial scars of an animal attack can remain with you for a long time. You might face physical pain when you try to move your body and emotional pain from the disfiguring scars you received. You might even find it impossible to be around any dogs at all.

A Galveston dog bite lawyer could investigate the attack and help you prove why the pet’s owner was liable for your injuries. Get in touch with our team today.