Fowler | Helsel | Vogt handles a lot of dog bite or dog mauling cases. We see them a lot here in the office, and they can be very complicated cases depending on who owns the dog. For example, if the dog owner also happens to be the property owner, then there’s likely going to be some type of insurance coverage. And that’s obviously something you want to look at in any one of these types of cases is: where’s the insurance coverage at?
In most counties, Fresno county being one, and the surrounding counties here in the valley being similar, there is really a strict liability when it comes to dog bite or dog mauling cases. What that means is if your dog injures somebody, bites somebody, that means that you’re going to be responsible for whatever injuries that it caused.
If you’ve been injured by a dog, the reason you need to contact our firm is twofold: one, so that we can work on getting you the medical treatment that you need, and two, so that we can immediately start investigating who owns the dog, where the dog came from, and how the dog was restrained or contained on that property. Because that’s going to be critical in determining what insurance coverage you have, and if there’s going to be insurance coverage.