Were you or a family member bitten by a dog in Melbourne, FL? An experienced Melbourne dog bite lawyer can help you seek compensation from the dog’s owner. Our team at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law is well-prepared to help you fight for compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more.
Collectively, our attorneys have more than 100 years of experience in personal injury law. We’ve helped countless clients like you recover the full compensation they need to move forward. Since we opened our law firm, we’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
Dog owners who allow their animals to injure others should be held accountable. Contact our law offices in Melbourne, Florida, today at (321) 334-3929 to learn more about how we can help you fight for a fair deal.
How Can Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law Help With a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Melbourne?
Getting bitten by a dog can be incredibly traumatizing. It can also cause serious physical injuries that can change your life. You shouldn’t be left struggling with the costs in addition to your physical injuries. Our Melbourne personal injury lawyers at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law can help you fight for a fair deal. We have decades of experience advocating on behalf of injury victims and their families.
When you hire our law firm, you’ll gain a team of attorneys dedicated to:
- Conducting a full investigation to collect any available evidence
- Identifying all insurance coverage and sources of compensation
- Protecting you from allegations that you provoked the dog
- Documenting your losses and determining how much compensation you deserve
- Handling the insurance paperwork and negotiations
- Rejecting lowball settlement offers and negotiating for the full amount you deserve
After an injury, you deserve time to focus on your recovery. That’s tough to do if you’re dealing with a contested insurance battle. Our Melbourne personal injury attorneys will handle your case from start to finish. To learn more about legal representation and how our team can help, call for a free case review today.
How Common Are Dog Bites?
Nearly 45% of all American households have at least one dog. While dogs make great companions, they can be dangerous when they bite. According to CDC statistics, about 4.5 million people suffer dog bite injuries each year. While not all dog bite injuries are severe, about 800,000 victims require medical care each year.
These injuries are also incredibly expensive. Florida ranks second in the nation when it comes to dog bite injury payouts. In a single year, insurance companies in Florida paid about $68 million in dog bite injury settlements.
How Much Compensation Is My Melbourne Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?
Many different factors will impact your case value. The severity of your injuries is typically the most important factor to consider.
Additional considerations include:
- Your medical treatment costs
- The value of any income you’ve lost due to the injury
- Whether you will suffer a long-term impairment
- How any long-term injury will impact your future earnings
- How your quality of life has suffered
- Whether you will need ongoing medical care and the cost
- Your age at the time of the animal attack
- The nature of any emotional trauma or PTSD you have experienced
Any insurance deal should include compensation for both current losses and your expected future damages. A lawyer can help you identify your losses and assign a value to those losses that don’t have a set financial value.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Melbourne?
Dog bite victims in Florida can seek compensation for any loss they’ve suffered, including both economic damages and non-economic damages.
Losses will vary from case to case, but some common examples of compensable damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Trauma and PTSD
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
While the dog owner’s insurance company will probably cover your claim, they don’t automatically hand over a fair settlement. You will have to demonstrate the damages you have suffered in order to receive a full settlement. You’ll also have to establish the value of those damages.
Our Melbourne dog bite attorneys have handled cases like yours before. We know how to locate evidence that the insurance companies will take seriously. To learn more about how we can help, call for a free case review today.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer in Florida?
Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. Instead of paying a fixed fee, you’ll pay a percentage of your settlement or verdict. You’ll only pay once we recover compensation in your case–and you’ll never pay unless we win.
How Can Florida Comparative Negligence Laws Impact My Right to Recover Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries?
Provocation is a common defense in dog bite injury cases. The dog’s owner may claim that you did something to cause the dog to bite. If your own negligence contributed to your injuries, your compensation will be reduced. Florida has a modified comparative negligence law. You lose your right to recover compensation if you’re assigned more than 50% of the blame. If you share less blame, your compensation is reduced by that percentage.
Our Attorneys in Melbourne Will Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Our attorneys at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law handle all types of dog injury cases, including:
- Deep puncture wounds and tearing
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Amputations, typically caused by infection
- Internal injuries and shock
Don’t hesitate to reach out to our law firm in Melbourne to learn more about your legal options after a dog bite injury.
How Do I Prove I Deserve Compensation for Dog Bite Injuries in Florida?
Every state has different laws when it comes to dog bite injuries. Florida is a strict liability state. That means a dog’s owner can be liable for your damages even if you have no proof that they were negligent.
To win compensation under Florida’s strict liability statute, you must prove:
- You were on public property or lawfully on private property
- The dog bit you
- You suffered injuries, or damages, due to the dog bite
There is no “one bite rule” in Florida. So, you don’t need proof that the dog’s owner knew that the dog had vicious tendencies or had behaved aggressively in the past.
Defenses to Strict Liability for Dog Owners in Florida
Even with the strict liability dog bite law, you won’t automatically receive compensation. Dog owners have several defenses to the strict liability law.
The most common defenses include:
- The owner displayed a “bad dog” warning sign in a prominent location, and the victim was at least six years old
- You did something that would reasonably provoke the dog to bite
- You were trespassing when the dog bit you
Provocation doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically lose all of your compensation. Without a lawyer’s help, however, a strong provocation defense can make it difficult to recover a full settlement.
What Can I Do If Florida’s Strict Liability Dog Bite Law Does Not Apply?
The strict liability law doesn’t apply in all cases. Importantly, if the dog attacked you but didn’t actually bite, the law doesn’t govern.
In these cases, general negligence theories are relevant. All dog owners have a duty to exercise reasonable caution to prevent their dogs from injuring others. If you can prove the dog owner was somehow negligent, you may still be entitled to damages.
You may still be entitled to compensation if:
- The dog had injured someone in the past, was classified as a “dangerous dog” under Florida law, and the owner failed to take special precautions to keep others safe
- The dog’s owner allowed the dog to roam freely without a leash
- The dog’s owner had trained the dog to attack or encouraged vicious behavior
While it’s not always easy to establish liability in dog bite cases, our lawyers have the experience to handle even the most complicated injury claims. Give us a call today to learn more about your legal right to compensation if someone else’s dog bit you.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Florida?
The statute of limitations in Florida personal injury cases is two years. That means you have two years from the date of the dog bite to file a lawsuit. After two years are up, you cannot sue for damages.
Contact a Trusted Melbourne Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one are suffering because someone’s dog bit you in Florida, our lawyers at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law can help you fight to hold the owner responsible. Call today for a free consultation with an experienced Melbourne dog bite lawyer.