Dog Bite Injury Lawyer in Sugar Land, TX

Sometimes, Man’s Best Friend can Turn into One’s Mortal Enemy.

Canines typically have gentle dispositions that have rightly earned the domesticated animals the label of ‘Man’s best friend.” However, several circumstances can arise that turn normally friendly dogs into raging furs of flesh eating madness. Fear is one of the most prevalent reasons why canines attack and bite humans, as well as other domesticated animals.

On average, more than four million Americans suffer dog bites every year. Of the four million dog bite victims, the healthcare and veterinary industries estimate around 20% of the dog bite victims require some form of medical attention to treat the wounds. As one of the highest regarded personal injury lawyers in Sugar Land, Texas, attorney Adam Capetillo wants dog bite victims to know they have legal options available to recover just compensation.

If you need legal counsel to address the injuries caused by a dog bite, reach out to Sugar Land, TX personal injury lawyer, Adam Capetillo. Our law firm will conduct a thorough investigation of the incident, which includes interviewing witnesses and examining the evidence collected by law enforcement agencies. You can rest assured our team of skilled personal injury law experts will work hard to recover the money lost because of one or more dog bites.

How Texas Law Addresses Dog Bites

Texas has never enacted a specific law that addresses the civil liability dog owners face because of the physical and emotional distress caused by dog bite accidents. However, Texas law stipulates the state is a negligence state for handling the personal injuries caused by a dog bite.

Texas law states that a person injured by a dog bite must prove one of the following acts:

“The dog’s owner knew that the dog had acted aggressively or had bitten someone in the past, or

The dog’s owner negligently failed to use reasonable care to control the dog or prevent the bite, and as a result, the injured person was bitten”

Although Texas negligence statutes legally apply to a vast majority of dog bites, there have been cases in Texas courts that have applied a very strict liability rule for dogs having the reputation of being “vicious, dangerous and/or mischievous.”

Personal injury lawyer Adam Capetillo helps clients determine whether the dog involved in a bite incident qualifies for the “vicious, dangerous and/or mischievous” designation.

Leash Laws in the Lone Star State

Texas leash laws are written much in the same manner that legislators wrote dangerous dog laws. The leash laws in Texas are passed at the local level to prevent dogs from roaming neighborhoods and intimidating residents. Leash laws vary on severity, from making dog owners completely responsible for free roaming dogs to placing some of the legal burden on companies that design and construct inferior fencing and other types of property barriers.

How Dog Bite Accidents Cause Injuries

Personal injury attorney Adam Capetillo and his team of dog bite experts educate clients about the types of injuries dogs are capable of causing. Canines can do much more harm than simply biting and breaking skin.

Here are the most common types of dog bite injuries:

• Teeth punctures
• Lacerations
• Tissue damage
• Abrasions
• Long lasting scars

The force a dog uses to bite a victim can also cause bone and ligament strains, as well as fractured bones. Heavier breeds that jump on victims to land a bite can also cause crush injuries. In addition, the number of infections triggered by dog bites include rabies, MRSA, and pasteurella.

Emotional Distress

Long after the physical injuries heal after dog bite accidents, the emotional scars can linger for several more years. In fact, emotional distress is a costly set of symptoms that have the potential to last a lifetime.

Here are some prevalent emotional duress symptoms:

• Insomnia
• Nightmares
• Acute fear of canines
• Flashback anxiety
• Irritation
• Depression

Placing a price tag on the emotional distress generated by a dog bite is difficult to accomplish. Sugar Land, TX personal injury attorney Adam Capetillo and his team of dog bite specialists will fight hard to ensure you receive the maximum amount of monetary damages allowed by Texas law for suffering from emotional duress.

How to Handle a Dog Bite

Here is startling statistic: a dog bite accidents occur in the United States every minute and fifteen seconds. Unfortunately, many Americans do not know how to respond properly to a dog bite. How you handle a dog bite accident goes a long way towards determining whether you qualify for just compensation.

Let’s review the steps required for handling a dog bite:

• Immediately seek attention at a healthcare facility
• Contact the local law enforcement agency
• Reach out to witnesses
• Document everything
• Take photographs of the bite injury
• Contact a Texas licensed personal injury attorney

Just Compensation for Dog Bite Accidents

Insurance companies want to settle personal injury claims as quickly as possible. In the haste to complete claim investigations, some insurance companies cut corners that leave victims of dog bite injuries with less money than they should have for just compensation. Attorney Adam Capetillo will collect all of the evidence required for clients to receive just compensation in the following categories:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Emotional duress
• Pain
• Suffering

Personal injury lawyer Adam Capetillo has earned the reputation for fighting hard for dog bite victims. If you have received one or more dog bites, you need to pursue a claim for just compensation as granted by Texas law. Speak with Adam Capetillo today to schedule a free initial consultation. You can reach our law firm by submitting the online contact form or by calling our office at (346) 249-5544.