If a dog bites and injures you in Houston, Texas, you have legal rights. The owner of the dog may be held responsible for the incident, taking the burden of medical bills and other injury-related losses off of your shoulders. Consult with Hill Law Firm’s experienced Texas dog bite lawyers in Houston to learn more about your recovery options.
Why Choose Us?
- We have recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients – including a $5 million settlement for a premises liability case involving injury to a child.
- Our law firm is committed to helping dog bite victims receive the justice they deserve. We will fight for your rights using aggressive negotiation and litigation strategies, as necessary.
- We operate on a contingency fee basis. You will only be charged by your dog bite injury attorney in Houston if he or she collects financial compensation on your behalf.
How a Houston Dog Bite Attorney Can Help
If you get hurt in a dog attack, you may have serious injuries that interfere with your daily life and ability to work. However, the dog owner and his or her insurance provider will not want you to receive maximum financial compensation for your losses. Hiring a dog bite lawyer in Houston can help you make a just financial recovery. Your lawyer can negotiate your claim for you to fight for a fair settlement.
An attorney will investigate the dog attack to determine who can be held liable, or legally and financially responsible, under Texas law. Then, your lawyer can collect evidence to build your case and hire qualified experts, if necessary, to testify. Your lawyer will pursue optimal case results for you through settlement negotiations or litigation while you recover from your injuries.
Common Dog Bite Injuries
Dogs have the propensity to inflict severe, painful, permanent, and debilitating injuries. When a dog is triggered to attack, it may stop at one bite or it may continue to attack until a victim is incapacitated or killed.
An aggressive dog could cause a wide range of serious injuries, including:
- Puncture wounds
- Cuts, scrapes and lacerations
- Facial injuries
- Soft-tissue damage
- Avulsion (the tearing away of skin)
- Broken bones
- Hand and finger injuries
- Internal injuries
- Bruises and contusions
- Eye and ear injuries
- Crush injuries
- Infections
- Diseases, such as rabies
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Fatal injuries
A dog attack can lead to a trip to the hospital and multiple treatments or surgeries, including revision surgeries for the physical effects of the incident. The medical bills alone after a serious dog attack can be substantial.
Who Pays for a Dog Bite Injury in Houston?
Texas is unique in that it does not have a specific dog bite statute. It has historically dealt with dog bite injury claims in one of two ways. The first is a one-bite rule, which allows victims to hold pet owners liable when their dogs have bitten or otherwise injured someone previously. The one-bite rule places a responsibility on pet owners to be aware of a dog’s vicious propensities and take proactive measures to prevent subsequent attacks.
The second type of dog bite injury claim is based on negligence, which describes the failure of the pet owner or another defendant to act in a manner that is reasonable based on the circumstances. For example, if a pet owner allowed a dog to run at large (off-leash) in an area that prohibits this, this could be viewed as a type of negligence that makes the owner liable for a dog bite injury.
Houston Dog Bite Injury Statistics
Dogs killed 521 victims in the United States from 2005 to 2019. The majority of these deaths (76 percent) were caused by pit bulls and rottweilers combined. Every year, Texas is one of the top states in terms of dog bite incidents. In 2019 (the most recent year data is available), Texas had the second-highest death record behind California, with seven deaths.
One comprehensive study of dog bite injuries in Harris County, Texas, states that 6,683 dog bite injuries were reported to Harris County Veterinary Public Health between 2013 and 2016. The most common victims were young children and the elderly. The dog with the highest frequency of bite reports was pit bulls (25.07 percent), followed by labrador retrievers (13.72 percent).
Contact a Dog Bite Injury Lawyer in Houston Today
If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries in a recent dog attack, the Houston dog bite attorneys at Hill Law Firm can help. We are passionate about representing dog bite victims and their families in claims against pet owners, property owners, landlords, and other responsible parties.
To discuss a particular dog bite injury case in detail, request a free consultation at Hill Law Firm Accident and Injury Lawyers. Call us at (210) 960-3939 or contact us online anytime.