Dogs may be man’s best friends, but they have also been known to attack people and inflict serious injuries. If you’ve been attacked by someone else’s dog , you should contact a personal injury lawyer in Riverside that specializes in dog bite claims, after you receive medical care. Personal injury law in California may allow you to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and related costs. To determine if you’re eligible to seek compensation, your personal injury attorney must know the exact location of the attack.

Under California dog bite laws, victims may only seek compensation if the dog attacked in a public place or while the victim was lawfully on private property. This caveat protects dog owners whose pets bite unlawful intruders. As your personal injury attorney can explain to you, California follows the strict liability concept for dog bite cases. This means that your injury lawyer can pursue compensation on your behalf regardless of whether the dog had never previously displayed a “vicious nature.” It also means that the dog’s owner cannot try to dispute the claim based on fault.

If you’ve recently consulted a personal injury attorney serving Riverside, CA, you may have heard the term “negligence.” Negligence is a key concept in personal injury law. As you’ll learn when you watch this video, the legal definition of negligence is that a person owes a duty of care to another person, yet breached that duty in some way. For example, if you are the victim of a car crash, your personal injury attorney may argue that the other driver had a duty to exercise reasonable caution on the road, yet he or she breached that duty by speeding, tailgating, or engaging in other dangerous behaviors. Your personal injury attorney must also prove that the defendant’s negligent behavior directly caused the crash and your injuries.

You can learn more about the concept of negligence by consulting your injury lawyer and by watching this video. You’ll hear about the types of compensatory damages that may result and you’ll learn the steps you should take immediately after an accident.

Quite often, falls occur because an individual failed to exercise reasonable caution, such as by texting while walking. However, in some cases a fall may be the result of negligent behavior on behalf of the property owner or manager. This is known as a slip and fall case. Under personal injury law, a victim may be eligible to seek compensation for damages related to the incident. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in an accident, you can contact a slip and fall lawyer near Riverside, CA to discuss your case. Your personal injury lawyer can answer any questions you may have.

Who Might be Held Liable in a Slip and Fall Claim?

The defendant in a slip and fall lawsuit will depend on the circumstances of the incident. Your personal injury lawyer may name the owner, supervisor, or manager of an apartment building, restaurant, or other type of property in which the accident occurred. If you slipped and fell on rental property, your injury lawyer will review the lease agreement to determine if the tenant or the landlord was responsible for the existence of the hazardous condition.

What Constitutes a Hazardous Condition?

The types of hazardous conditions that may cause an accident are virtually limitless. Some hazardous conditions are permanent, such as a staircase that was defectively designed. Others are temporary, such as frayed carpeting. A lawsuit may be filed when a person slips because of spilled beverages or food, loose electrical cords, broken handrails, or inadequate lighting, just to name a few. However, it’s important to note that proving the existence of a hazardous condition that caused the fall is not sufficient to obtain a favorable resolution to a lawsuit. Your injury lawyer must also demonstrate that the defendant created the condition or knew that the condition existed, yet failed to correct it within a reasonable amount of time. Alternatively, the lawyer could demonstrate that the condition existed for such a length of time from which it may be inferred that the owner should have known about the problem.

What Damages Could I Recover?

Slipping and falling by itself isn’t the basis for a lawsuit. In addition to proving negligence and the existence of a hazardous condition, your lawyer must prove that you suffered damages as a result. If so, a lawsuit may recover compensation for your diagnostic tests, medical treatments and procedures, lost wages, and loss of earning capacity.