Have you or a loved one been bitten by a dog in Charleston, WV? Now’s the time to call Farmer, Cline & Campbell Personal Injury Lawyers. Our Charleston dog bite lawyers can help you fight for the top-dollar award you deserve. Call our law office in Charleston at (304) 346-5990 to schedule a free consultation today.
We have been a passionate advocate for Charleston dog bite victims and grieving families for over two decades. Our team of award-winning West Virginia trial lawyers has over 315 years of relevant legal experience. Our determined, client-driven approach to litigation has helped us recover hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards.
You have the right to seek compensation from the dog’s owner and, in some cases, other responsible parties. Now, you can trust our law firm to fight to hold the dog’s owner accountable for your damages.
How Farmer, Cline & Campbell Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help Dog Bite Victims in Charleston, WV
Few things in life are more traumatic than being bitten by a dog. In addition to struggling with potentially life-changing or even life-threatening physical injuries, you may also be traumatized from the incident. You deserve to focus your energy exclusively on your physical health and emotional well-being.
Choosing the team at Farmer, Cline & Campbell Personal Injury Lawyers puts over three centuries of combined legal experience and a passion for justice in your corner. We provide personalized, compassionate legal representation, which is one of the reasons why we’re recognized by Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, Martindale Hubbell, and other leading legal organizations.
We’re prepared to handle all aspects of your dog bite claim, including:
- Providing answers and advice to you throughout the claims process
- Conducting a prompt, independent investigation into the circumstances of the dog attack
- Gathering key pieces of evidence, which can include your medical records, the dog’s veterinary records, eyewitness reports, proof of prior acts of aggression, video footage, photographs of your wounds, and more
- Determining who, other than the dog’s owner, might be liable for your dog bite injuries
- Consulting with experts in medicine, animal behavior, rehabilitation, and other specialties as we build your case
- Assessing your damages and calculating what your dog bite claim is worth
- Pursuing the best possible terms in a settlement agreement during negotiations with the dog’s owner, their insurance company, and other defendants
- Taking your dog bite lawsuit to trial in Kanawha County if you don’t receive the settlement offer you deserve
Between medical expenses and income lost during your recovery, a dog bite can be expensive. Hiring an experienced dog bite attorney in Charleston to help you fight for compensation shouldn’t be a problem. We represent dog bite victims on a contingency fee basis.
Pay nothing unless we win compensation for your dog bite injury claim. Get started with a free consultation. Call our Charleston, West Virginia law office to speak with a Charleston personal injury attorney.
Understanding West Virginia Dog Bite Laws
West Virginia Code §19-20-13 explains that a dog’s owner is “liable for any damages inflicted upon the person or property of another by such dog while so running at large.”
In other words, the owner of an animal is strictly liable if their dog bites someone while being allowed to roam around freely. If the dog is leashed and bites another person, the owner will not be held strictly liable. However, dog owners can also be liable if their negligence contributes to a dog bite.
In all other situations, West Virginia observes a one-bite rule. Simply put, the dog owner is not strictly liable for dog bite injuries if the dog has no prior history of aggression. If the dog has bitten someone in the past, the owner becomes strictly liable for all future bites.
How Do I Win a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Charleston?
It can depend on the dog’s history of aggression and where the dog attack occurs. These factors can influence the grounds on which your civil dog bite claim is based.
If you were bitten by a dog running at large, your claim can be based on strict liability. In these situations, you must simply prove:
- The defendant owned the dog (or was responsible for the dog at the time of the attack)
- You were bitten by a dog that was running at large (e.g., not leashed or not secured in a fenced-in yard), AND
- You sustained damages
You can also bring a dog bite lawsuit on the basis that the dog’s owner (or another party) was negligent. In these situations, you must prove:
- The defendant (e.g., the dog’s owner) owed you a duty of care.
- The defendant breached their duty of care because their actions were unreasonable under the circumstances (e.g., failed to have the dog on a leash or contain it in a secure area).
- The defendant’s conduct directly caused the dog bite.
- You’ve suffered damages.
In a negligence action, you’re not limited to seeking damages from the dog’s owner. Many times, dog bite claims are a matter of premises liability. If you were attacked by a dog on someone else’s property, you could potentially file a claim against the owner on the grounds that they failed to keep you safe.
Our Charleston dog bite attorneys will carefully evaluate your situation and work to determine who’s responsible for your injuries. Once liability is clear, we’ll begin to build compelling legal claims backed by strong evidence and expert testimony so that you can get the compensation you need to move forward.
Dog Bites Can Cause Serious Injuries
More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs across the United States every year, a large proportion of which are children. Not surprisingly, the consequences are often catastrophic.
Whether you or your child have been bitten by a dog in Charleston, you’ll be able to count on Farmer, Cline & Campbell Personal Injury Lawyers to help you fight for the monetary justice you deserve.
We represent clients who’ve suffered all types of dog bite injuries:
- Puncture wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Infections
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Brain injuries
- Eye injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Chest injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a spouse, child, or parent
Don’t hesitate to seek medical treatment after a dog attack. Getting prompt medical care can have a huge impact on the extent of your injuries and your road to recovery. Further, you’ll ensure your injuries are documented, which will be vital to the success of a legal claim for damages down the road.
What Compensation Can I Get If I’m Bitten by a Dog in Charleston?
When you file a dog bite lawsuit in Charleston, you’ll be able to request compensatory damages from a dog owner or another responsible party.
Compensatory damages can include two types of awards – economic and non-economic.
Economic damages help you handle the financial complications of being bitten by a dog, including:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Nursing care
- Funeral expenses if a dog bite is fatal
Non-economic damages help you deal with much more personal, subjective experiences related to being bitten by a dog, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- PTSD
- Embarrassment
Our attorneys can also seek punitive damages if your dog bite lawsuit goes to trial. In these situations, a jury could award damages to punish the defendant for conduct that was clearly intentional or grossly negligent.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in West Virginia?
West Virginia has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits, including matters related to dog bites.
This gives you up to two years from the date you were attacked by a dog to seek compensation from the dog’s owner, their homeowner’s insurance company, or another liable party. There are few exceptions to the statute of limitations. Most involve injuries to young children. In these situations, the statute of limitations can be tolled until the child reaches adulthood.
Don’t miss out on the money you need to pay for your medical care, offset lost wages, and cope with the trauma of being bitten by a dog. Call our dog bite attorneys in Charleston to get started today.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Charleston Dog Bite Lawyer
You don’t have to struggle with the consequences of a dog bite injury on your own. Call Farmer, Cline & Campbell Personal Injury Lawyers, and count on our Charleston dog bite lawyers to help you fight for the compensation you need and deserve.
Our award-winning litigators have more than 315 years of combined experience handling tough cases like yours. Our case results speak volumes, with hundreds of millions in damages recovered.
There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation, so contact our Charleston law office today.