Vero Beach Dog Bite Lawyers

Vero Beach, FL

A dog bite can be a traumatic experience that leads to physical, emotional, and financial harm. If someone else’s dog bites you, you should not have to pay the consequences. You may have the right to file a claim against them and seek fair compensation for your related medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

It’s crucial that you take immediate action to protect your legal rights after a dog bite. Contact an experienced dog bite lawyer from Gould Cooksey Fennell. Our dog bite injury lawyers can investigate the case, explain your legal rights and options, and sort out the chaos following a dog bite. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. 

What Financial Compensation Can I Recover Through a Dog Bite Claim?

The personal injury lawyers at Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm are committed to helping you secure maximum compensation for the injuries you have suffered. We can vigorously pursue compensation from the dog owner for damages related to your attack, including:

  • Medical bills, including emergency room visits, hospital stays, and emergencies
  • Payment for ongoing medical care
  • Future anticipated medical expenses, such as for rehabilitation and therapy
  • Damaged personal property, such as a cell phone
  • Lost wages for time you missed from work during your recovery
  • Reductions in your long-term earning potential

We can also pursue compensation for the pain, suffering, and emotional distress you suffered because of the dog attack. 

Who Is Responsible for Dog Bites?

In most cases, you will pursue a compensation claim against the dog owner. They may have homeowners’ or renters’ insurance that can pay for the damages their dog caused. However, other parties are sometimes responsible for dog bites, such as:

  • Animal caretakers, including pet sitters
  • Kennels
  • Dog walkers
  • Property owners
  • Landlords
  • Parents of a minor who owns a dog

Our personal injury lawyers can thoroughly review your case to determine all potentially at-fault parties and avenues for compensation. 

What Is My Dog Bite Injury Claim Worth?

At Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm, we focus on recovering fair compensation for all our clients. Yet, we know that every personal injury claim is different. Each case has unique facts and circumstances that can impact its value. Generally, the more severe the injury, the more compensation might be available. 

Courts and insurance companies consider various factors when determining the value of a dog bite claim, including:

  • The severity of the injuries
  • Where on the body the bite occurred
  • Whether the dog bite caused disfigurement, disability, or a permanent scar
  • The type and expense of medical treatment you underwent
  • How long you had to miss work
  • The extent of your pain and suffering
  • The long-term impact of the dog bite on your life
  • Whether your negligence contributed to the incident

Insurance companies try to minimize the amount of money they give to accident victims. Dog bite injury attorneys can review your case, give you a better idea about the potential value of your claim, and fight for you to recover it.

Your compensation can be reduced proportionately to your degree of fault. For example, if you are found to be 25% at fault for the accident, your damages can be reduced by 25%. However, this still allows you to collect the remaining 75% of the damages you are entitled to.

What Should I Do If a Dog Bit Me?

Dog bites can be terrifying experiences. You may now know what to do. If possible, try to stay calm and take these steps to protect your well-being:

Seek Medical Attention 

Call a doctor right away. They may advise you on using first aid to stop any bleeding or to minimize the chance of infection. This may involve:

  • Washing the wound with soap and water
  • Applying pressure to the wound with a clean material
  • Elevating the injured area 

 

Call 911 if you believe you were seriously injured. Go to a doctor immediately so they can take steps to mitigate your injuries and prevent infection. Not all injuries are immediately apparent, so seek medical attention even if you don’t think the injury is that serious at first.

Get the Dog Owner’s Information 

While you are waiting for an ambulance, ask for the dog owner’s information, including their:

  • Name
  • Phone number
  • Address
  • Insurance information 

 

Homeowners insurance may cover dog bites that occur on the insured’s property. Some even cover those that occur on other property. 

 

Document the Scene

Do your best to document the scene. Ask any witnesses for their contact information. Use your cell phone to take pictures of your injuries and the dog. Photograph anything significant about the accident scene, such as a lack of signage about a dog, a hole in the fence, or the presence of any nearby video cameras. Keep the clothes you were wearing at the time of the attack. 

 

Report the Dog Bite

Call animal control or file a police report to document the incident.

 

Call an Experienced Dog Bite Attorney 

An experienced attorney can help you with the next steps.

How Can a Dog Bite Lawyer Help Me?

An experienced dog bite lawyer can assist with many aspects of your legal claim, including:

  • Ensuring you receive the medical care you need 
  • Explaining your legal options for financial recovery 
  • Reviewing police reports and animal control reports 
  • Communicating with insurance companies on your behalf
  • Reviewing insurance policies for coverage
  • Negotiate an insurance settlement on your behalf 

 

Our dog bite and accident lawyers provide free consultations so you can learn more about your legal rights and options at no risk or obligation to you.

What Is the Deadline to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit?

In Florida, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit based on negligence is two years from the date of the incident. If you miss this deadline, you can forfeit your right to compensation. Protect your rights by contacting our dog bite injury lawyers today. 

Florida’s Dog Bite Laws

Florida’s dog bite laws are complicated. Several different legal theories may apply if a dog bites you, such as:

Strict Liability 

Florida has a strict liability law that holds dog owners legally responsible when their dog bites someone in any of the following locations:

  • A public place
  • In a location where they were performing lawful duties of the state or postal work for the United States
  • On private property with an expressed or implied invitation by the property owner 

 

In these circumstances, the dog owner is liable for damages the dog bite injury victim suffers. The victim does not need to show the dog’s former viciousness or their knowledge of it. 

Strict liability does not apply if the dog owner posts a prominent “Bad Dog” sign unless the victim is under six years old. 

 

Negligence 

Florida’s strict liability law states that if the dog bite victim was acting negligently, their recovery is reduced by their degree of negligence. For example, if a person were teasing a dog and found to be 10% responsible for the incident, their compensation claim would be proportionately reduced by 10%.

In cases where the strict liability law does not apply, an injury victim may be able to establish their right to compensation by proving negligence. For example, a dog may have come running towards you, causing you to fall back and hit your head. The strict liability law only applies to dog bites. However, you may be able to recover compensation for injuries like this by showing the dog owner was negligent. 

Negligence is the failure to exercise reasonable care by failing to prevent the attack. Dog attack lawyers show the following to establish negligence:

  • The dog owner had a legal duty to act in a certain way. 
  • The dog owner did not behave in that way.
  • In so doing, their failure reasonably led to your injuries.
  • You suffered damages as a result. 

 

Experienced personal injury lawyers can identify and gather evidence to establish these legal elements. 

 

Negligence Per Se 

You may be able to point to other laws put in place to protect people in your position and argue that the dog owner or handler violated those laws, causing you harm, such as a local ordinance requiring leashes.

 

Intentional Tort

In dog attack cases, the dog owner or handler may have instructed the dog to attack you. In these cases, you can argue that the defendant intentionally caused you harm. A personal injury lawyer can interview witnesses and obtain evidence to establish these facts.

Regardless of which legal argument you use to pursue your dog bite injury claim, an experienced lawyer can help guide you through the legal process. 

Dog Bite Statistics

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 4.5 million dog bites occur yearly. Approximately 334,000 people are admitted to emergency departments in the United States each year, and another 466,000 are seen in other medical settings with dog-bite-associated injuries. The CDC also reports that 468 people have died from being bitten by a dog from 2011 to 2021.

Naples News reports that more than 600 Floridians are hospitalized each year due to dog bite injuries. The United States Postal Service says 193 postal workers were bitten by a dog in Florida in 2023, the seventh-highest state.

Common Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bite injuries can range dramatically. Some dog bite victims can walk away relatively unscathed with minor scrapes or scratches. However, others are not so fortunate. 

Many dog bite injury victims are children. Dogs may attack their faces or necks, leading to severe bleeding and deformity. These violent attacks can lead to lasting emotional scars well after the physical ones heal. 

Dog attack victims may experience puncture wounds, broken bones, and other severe injuries. Open wounds can lead to infections and catastrophic injuries if not immediately treated. Many dog bite victims fall, leading to additional catastrophic injuries. 

Common dog attack injuries include:

  • Neck injuries
  • Severe cuts
  • Puncture wounds and lacerations
  • Diseases like rabies
  • Infection of dog bite wounds
  • Amputation
  • Disfigurement
  • Fractured bones
  • Damage to arms, hands, and wrists
  • Nerve damage 
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Eye injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries 
  • Muscle damage
  • Psychological injuries, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and emotional distress
  • Fatal injuries 

 

You deserve compensation for injuries you suffered because of a careless dog owner. A dog bite can change your life in an instant. Let our dog bite injury attorneys fight for the justice you deserve.

Signs a Dog Might Bite

The best way to avoid a dog bite injury is to prevent it from happening. Dogs may display signs before they try to bite, including:

  • Growling, snarling, or baring teeth – Dogs may show signs of aggression or intimidation, such as growling, snarling, or baring their teeth.
  • Raised fur – The fur on a dog’s neck or back may stand up when they feel threatened. 
  • Rigid body – Dogs set to bite may be rigid, have a high tail, and move their tails quickly back and forth.
  • Barking – Barking can be a warning that a dog is about to bite or is trying to intimidate a person. 
  • Yawning, excessive lip licking, or avoiding eye contact – These non-verbal cues show a dog is anxious, which makes them more likely to bite. 

 

If you notice these signs, try to walk away slowly. If the dog bites anyway, contact our dog bite lawyers for immediate assistance.

Contact Our Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation

If a dog bite injures you, contact Gould Cooksey Fennell Law Firm for help. Our compassionate legal team wants to help you through this ordeal and make things right for you.  Contact us today for a free case review to get started on your path to recovery.

 

FREE PERSONAL INJURY CONSULTATION

  • No Fee Until We Win
  • $150M+ in Recent Personal Injury Verdicts & Settlements
  • U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms for 10 Consecutive Years

Our firm is here to take that burden off of our clients and handle their claim completely. We will help you get the compensation you deserve.

Notable CAR ACCIDENT Settlements and Verdicts

We’ve recovered over $150 million for our clients. These are real case results from real people who came to us for help. And we got them what they were owed.

Plaintiff was operating a small motorcycle/scooter when a 91 year old man turned left in front of him hitting him essentially head on. As a result of the collision, the Plaintiff sustained catastrophic injuries to his lower body, including snapped femurs and fractures to the spine and pelvis. After a two week trial the Indian River County jury returned an award totaling $9.381 million.

A Brevard County Jury awarded Plaintiff $6.4M against Defendant State Farm, following an accident that resulted in numerous catastrophic orthopedic injuries, including a below knee amputation of the Plaintiff’s left leg.

Plaintiff sustained numerous orthopedic injuries as a result of the negligence of a driver working for the State of Florida Department of Agriculture. At trial, the case resulted in a verdict of $5,582,776.82. Because the government’s damages are statutorily limited to $100,000 under Sovereign Immunity laws, Gould Cooksey Fennell’s Personal Injury Group was forced to fight in the Legislature for several years to pursue the passage of a Claims Bill. Ultimately a Bill was passed for 40 times the statutory limitations.

Indian River County crash resulting in significant injuries to a husband and wife. This matter was resolved prior to filing a lawsuit.

Obtained a Trial Verdict of $1.64 million dollars for injuries sustained by an 86 year old woman in a rollover auto accident on SR 60 in Vero Beach, Florida. After prolonged hospitalization, Mrs. Koebele never fully recovered and an Indian River County Jury awarded $1,170,130 for her injuries and $475,000 for her husband’s consortium claim.

Automobile crash in Vero Beach, FL resulting in cervical injury, including disc herniation to a 22 year old tennis professional.

While stopped at the intersection of US Hwy 1 and Vista Royale Boulevard, the Plaintiff’s vehicle was struck from behind with such force that the rear of his SUV was lifted off the ground and his vehicle slammed into the rear of the vehicle in front of him. As a result of the violent impact, Plaintiff sustained permanent injuries to his cervical and lumbar spine. An Indian River County jury awarded the Plaintiff $1,487,412.99.

While stopped at the intersection of 43rd Ave and 8th Street, Plaintiff was rear-ended by the Defendant, launching her vehicle into another vehicle in front of her. Plaintiff sustained permanent injuries to her right knee and cervical spine, both requiring surgical intervention in the years following the collision. After a nine day trial, an Indian River County jury returned an award of $1,259,090.73.

Indian River County jury awarded verdict against Defendant State Farm following an automobile accident where the defendant Driver was underinsured.

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