Dog Bite Lawyer Dallas, TX - The Abeita Law Firm

Texas Dog bite Claims

About Texas Dog bite Claims

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 4.5 million dog bites each year in the United States and that nearly one in five bites require medical attention.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies paid over $686 million in 2017 for 18,522 dog-bite claims.

Texas ranked sixth in the number of 2017 dog-bite claims with 929 claims.

Dog Bites can be a traumatic experience that lasts with victims the rest of their lives. Sometimes children are involved. A Dallas personal injury lawyer can help evaluate your case on the merits.

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Texas Dog Bite claims

A Roadmap for a Dog Bite Claim in Texas:

The defendant owned or possessed the animal.
The animal had dangerous propensities abnormal to its class.
The defendant knew or had reason to know the animal was dangerous.
The animal’s dangerous propensities were the producing cause of the plaintiff’s injury.
The plaintiff’s injuries are compensable and monetary compensation is collectable.

The plaintiff must prove the animal’s vicious or aggressive tendencies were not normal for that kind of animal.

The animal’s class is not limited to a specific breed. For example, a pit bull should be compared to other dogs, not just to other pit bulls.

All these issues have to be addressed before someone can claim damages from a dog bite.

In Texas, Statute of Limitations applies for dog bite cases. Remember, you only have a number of years to bring a claim. Call a Dallas personal injury lawyer to get a free consultation.

personal injury civil damages in Texas:

Physical pain the victim had in the past
- Physical pain that, in reasonable probability, the victim will sustain in the future.
Mental anguish the victim had in the past.
- Mental anguish that, in reasonable probability, the victim will sustain in the future.
- Lost wages the victim had in the past
- Loss of earning capacity the victim had in the past.
- Loss of earning capacity that, in reasonable probability, the victim will have in the future.
Disfigurement the victim received in the past
- Disfigurement that, in reasonable probability, the victim will have in the future.
Physical impairment the victim had in the past.
- Loss of mobility, loss of ability, hindered, restricted from use of normal bodily faculties.
- Physical impairment that, in reasonable probability, the victim will have in the future.

Medical care expenses, that in reasonable probability, will be incurred on behalf of victim in the future
- Exact dollar figure not needed to be considered
- Medical care expenses incurred on behalf of the victim in the past:
  - Physicians fees, dental fees, chiropractic fees, hospital bills, medicine expenses, nursing services, etc.
Loss of inheritance
- Loss of the present value of the assets that the deceased, in reasonable probability, would have added to the estate and left at natural death to the plaintiff.
- Pecuniary loss sustained in the past
  - That is, loss of care, maintenance support, services, advice, counsel, and reasonable contributions of a pecuniary value.
Pecuniary loss that, in reasonable probability, will be sustained in the future.
Funeral Expenses
Exemplary damages
- Damages awarded as a penalty or by way of punishment. Exemplary damages include punitive damages.
- Bad acts that might not rise to the level of criminal activity but the law allows civil jurors to consider.