If a dog has bitten you or a loved one, a Summerlin dog bite lawyer can hold a negligent pet owner responsible for their animal’s actions. The H&P Law team has more than 60 years of combined legal experience.
A Summerlin personal injury lawyer from our team can evaluate your dog bite case and discuss your legal options with you.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Dog Bite Injury
A pet owner can be liable for a dog bite. It is reasonable to expect this individual to keep their pet a safe distance away from others if they believe the animal could cause harm. If the pet gets too close to you and bites, it could injure you, and you can hold the animal’s owner responsible for any associated losses you incur.
Generally, Nevada has no specific dog bite statute. Just because a pet bites you does not mean the animal will be put down. Instead, you could take legal action against the animal’s owner, request compensatory damages from them, and boost the likelihood that this individual will be more cautious when they walk and care for their pet moving forward.
H&P Law makes it easy to connect with a Summerlin dog bite attorney. We can explain what to do if you suffer a Las Vegas dog bite injury and how to pursue damages from any at-fault parties. Schedule a free case consultation with our team.
How Much Time You Have to File a Summerlin Dog Bite Accident Lawsuit
The Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) limits how much time you have to sue for damages as part of a personal injury lawsuit. Based on NRS 11.190, you may have two years from the date a dog bites you to ask for compensation from any liable parties. Beyond this window, you may be solely responsible for your injury-related losses.
A dog bite lawyer in Summerlin can teach you about Nevada’s statute of limitations and explain how it applies to your case. They can explain what can happen if you sue. If you decide to proceed with your lawsuit, your attorney will submit your claim in alignment with the statute of limitations.
Filing a lawsuit does not automatically entitle you to damages. Your attorney will look for ways to prove your case to a judge or jury. If they are successful, the court may rule in your favor, and you may achieve your desired case results.
Damages You Can Ask for in Your Lawsuit
The damages that can be recovered in a personal injury case vary. A dog bite attorney in Summerlin will encourage you to seek economic and non-economic damages. Reasons why a judge or jury may provide you with damages include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment
It is your responsibility to show the court that you should receive full damages. Your lawyer understands what it takes to craft a compelling argument. They may utilize a wide range of evidence to support your case.
Proof You Can Use in Your Lawsuit
Evidence can play an important role in your lawsuit’s success. If you have substantial proof, the defendant in your case may struggle to dispute your argument against them. Proof that could help you win or settle your case includes:
- Accident scene videos and photos
- Witness statements
- Medical records
- Information about any prior attacks by the dog that injured you
Your lawyer can prepare a body of evidence. This proof could lead the defendant in your lawsuit to offer a settlement. If you receive a settlement proposal, you can evaluate the offer with your attorney, and you can decide if it is in your best interests to approve, reject, or counter it.
How to Prove that a Dog Owner Was Negligent
Ultimately, negligence and its elements can have far-flung effects on your case results. Your attorney focuses on proving that the owner of the dog that attacked you was negligent. To do so, they will attempt to show that the following elements of negligence were present at the time you got hurt:
- Duty of Care: The dog owner had a legal obligation to care for their pet and keep this animal from doing anything to harm you or others.
- Breach of Duty of Care: This owner violated their obligation, which led to the dog attack.
- Causation: The owner’s dog bit you and caused injuries.
- Damages: The owner’s actions have left you with quantifiable or subjective losses.
Proving negligence can be problematic. The defendant in your lawsuit could present evidence that makes the court question your case. In one of the worst-case scenarios, the defendant’s case could lead a judge or jury to award you partial damages or no compensation at all.
How Comparative Negligence Can Impact Your Case
Your attorney can provide insights into comparative negligence in Nevada. With this, you can be found partly responsible for a dog bite injury if you did something that prompted the animal to attack you. In this situation, you may recover partial damages.
If you are 1-50% liable for a dog bite injury, you may get damages in your personal injury lawsuit. However, what you receive can be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a judge or jury says you are 20% to blame, you may recover 80% of the damages you initially sought.
In an instance where a judge or jury says you are more than 50% at fault for your dog bite injury, you may be ineligible to get damages. Consider what can occur if a court says you are primarily to blame for a dog attack and injury. If this happens, you may be responsible for 100% of your losses.
Work with a Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
H&P Law offers legal services, support, and guidance to those who suffer personal injuries due to no fault of their own. Can assist you with your dog bite injury case. Request a free case consultation.
