The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan represents families who have lost a child to a tragic dog bite incident in the Bay Area. Our skilled and compassionate lawyers go to work immediately to seek justice and financial help for the parents and siblings left behind. Contact us for a free fatal dog bite case consultation to find out how to hold a dog owner responsible for a tragedy.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Fatal Dog Bite Accident?
Yes. In California, dog owners are held accountable for deadly dog attack incidents. Families are able to seek help from the dog owner’s homeowners or renter’s insurance policy. However, giant insurance companies will do their best to avoid having to accept responsibility.
A San Francisco dog bite lawyer fights back when insurance adjusters try to blame a dog attack on the actions of an innocent child or parents. An attorney will also demand the maximum in support for families while an insurance company attempts to limit the financial assistance they must provide to grieving families. MJQ Law helps close relatives seek justice on behalf of a lost loved one and secure financial assistance dealing with expenses that arise in the aftermath.
Deadly Dog Bite Dangers for Children in San Francisco
Dog bites can happen almost anywhere and children are especially vulnerable to an attack. Their smaller bodies and softer tissue don’t protect against teeth as well as an adult’s body would. Their bones also aren’t as strong and the pressure a dog’s jaw can generate can easily fracture major arm and leg bones.
Children are also closer to the ground where their vital organs, their faces, and necks are more easily in reach of a confused, frightened, or aggressive dog. Infants, of course, have no defense against a powerful bite and can face life-threatening situations after even what would be considered a minor incident.
Children are also naturally curious and often energetic. They also don’t have fully developed judgment skills and can end up approaching a panicked or protective pet. These are just the normal behaviors of most children and a young dog bite victim should not be held accountable for their actions that result in a bite.
Who Is Responsible for a Child’s Death After a Dog Bite Accident in California?
California makes it easier for families to hold dog owners liable for a deadly dog bite under the legal concept of “strict liability.” It means that a dog owner is usually fully responsible for the consequences of bite wounds, even if the dog has no history of aggressive behavior.
Strict liability simplifies the legal standard to prove someone is legally responsible. The dog owner is held accountable in most situations. If a minor dies as a result of a dog bite, the victim’s close relatives are empowered to file a wrongful death claim and seek financial help and support for the enormous emotional loss.
There are only a few situations that might leave the victim to blame for what happened:
- The victim was trespassing.
- The victims provoked the dog.
In most cases, a judge would not blame a young child for trespassing into a yard that was easy to enter for access to a potentially dangerous animal. It would be up to the dog owner to keep a dog restrained in an enclosure or a locked fence that a curious child couldn’t easily gain entrance to.
A judge also wouldn’t usually hold a child responsible for provoking a dog. Children may not have developed the mental capacity to recognize the danger of approaching the dog. Again, it’s usually up to the pet owner to restrict access to the dog in a yard and in the home when guests (including children are invited in).
Sometimes insurance companies bend the truth and attempt to blame parents or a child for the deadly dog bite accident. The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan takes action and fully investigates the accident and the dog owner. Our San Francisco Child Dog Bite Lawyers build strong cases and present the evidence that keeps the blame on the dog owner and the insurance provider.
Who Can File a Dog Bite Wrongful Death Claim After a Child’s Death?
In most cases, the California courts would want a mother, father, and guardians to file a wrongful death claim together. The cases would be combined if a mother and father were separated or divorced, but both could have separate lawyers if they so desired.
A San Francisco wrongful death lawyer can file a claim on behalf of the entire family and work to make sure everyone receives the maximum in support possible from those at fault.
What Type of Support Can My Family Receive After Losing a Child to a San Francisco Dog Bite Accident?
The families of young dog bite victims will never get over the loss of a child in a devastating dog bite case. They will endure emotional trauma. They can also face difficult financial challenges with the costs that arise after a heartbreaking loss of life.
Dog owners and their insurance providers need to be held accountable. They should also be the first to help families in the weeks and months that follow.
Your fatal dog bite lawyer would work with your family to compile a list of every hardship the family faces at such a difficult time. This can include the difficult times ahead.
These are just a few of the things that an insurance company should be providing for victimized families:
- Money to pay for emergency response fees and any medical bills accumulated before the patient passed on
- Money to pay for a proper funeral service and burial
- Support for the mental anguish family members are put through
- Support for the companionship the parents and siblings have lost in future years due to the loss of life
Contact a San Francisco Fatal Child Dog Bite Lawyer
At The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan in San Francisco, we want to safeguard grieving families. We handle the frustrating legal process while giving those left behind time to remember a lost loved one.
We fight to hold dog owners responsible and to secure the maximum support from insurance companies for our clients.
We offer a free case consultation for all family members. To schedule a visit, please contact us.
There’s no obligation, but if you feel our San Francisco Child Dog Bite Lawyers can help you get more for your family’s claim, you don’t need to worry about how you’ll pay us. We don’t earn anything unless we win your case for your family. Then our fee comes entirely out of the wrongful death settlement your family is awarded.
