Las Cruces Dog Bite Attorney
Work With the Best Las Cruces Dog Bite Attorney
Bitten by a Dog? Contact Our Las Cruces Dog Bite Lawyers Today!
At the Law Offices of Kenneth G. Egan, our Las Cruces dog bite attorneys have spent nearly three decades upholding the rights of personal injury victims who have suffered from dog attacks throughout Doña Ana County.
Whether the dog bite occurred on a friend or family member’s property or it was the result of a stranger’s dog attacking you without notice, your legal rights to compensation call for an experienced Las Cruces dog bite attorney to deliver results.
If you've been bitten by a dog, our attorneys can help you navigate New Mexico's laws and secure the compensation you deserve.
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Our Dog Bite Lawyers Will...
- Investigate the behavioral history of the dog
- Determine if the owner was being negligent
- Collect evidence and documentation
- Negotiate with insurance companies to maximize your recovery
- Seek financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages
You pay nothing unless and until we win your case.
How Many People Are Bitten By Dogs Each Year?
Around 4.5 million dog bites occur each year throughout the U.S, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Of these bites, one in five become infected, leading to severe injuries that have long-term effects and require ongoing medical care.
The American Veterinary Medical Association lists that in the United States:
- A dog bite occurs every 75 seconds
- Primary dog bite victims are children
- Nearly 800,000 people require medical treatment for dog bites each year
- Approximately one dozen people die each year from dog bite-related injuries
Our Dog Bite Lawyers Can Help You Pursue Compensation for Your Injury
From a legal standpoint, our New Mexico dog bite injury lawyers will investigate your unique case and your complete personal injuries to ensure that all of your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering are included in our evaluation so that each detail is outlined fully in our claim.
On average, a dog bite-related hospital stay costs approximately twice as much as an average injury-related stay, totaling over $18,000. Since each injury is different, the recovery costs will vary depending on the extent of the harm the dog bite caused.
Common injuries sustained during a dog bite can include:
- Puncture wounds
- Ripped or torn skin, muscles, or tendons
- Broken bones
- Infections
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Nerve damage
- Mobility trouble
- Head, neck, and face injuries
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- Wrongful death
Last year alone, nearly 30,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery as a result of being bitten by dogs. These expensive procedures and all other dog bite medical care costs should not have to be paid out of your own pocket, which is why our attorneys are devoted to seeking compensation on your behalf.
According to Dogsbite.org, costs associated with dog bite injuries cause over $1 billion in monetary losses annually, with more than one-third of all homeowner’s liability claims costing $700 million paid to dog bite victims who suffered injuries. Our Las Cruces dog bite attorneys can help you pursue the pet’s owner for the financial compensation you deserve as a result of these accidents.
What Are New Mexico’s Dog Bite Laws?
New Mexico does not have specific dog bite statutes, but part of our pursuit for financial recovery allows our Las Cruces, New Mexico dog bite lawyers to focus on determining a dog owner’s liability after a dog bite or attack occurs.
Our dog bite lawyers must prove fault in order to recover damages for our client’s injuries. This can include proof that the dog owner knew that the dog might cause injury to someone. More importantly, the courts can decide that the owner should have known that the dog might hurt someone if they had actually seen their dog exhibit vicious behavior in the past.
In addition, more than one party can be held responsible for your dog bite injuries, since the State of New Mexico does not clearly define who the dog owner is. For instance, if a landlord knows, or should have known, that their tenant’s dog was vicious, s/he too could be held liable for the dog bite victim’s injuries.
In New Mexico, there is no “one-bite rule,” where the dog and its owners are let off easy if the dog has no past history of aggression. Since this rule doesn’t apply in New Mexico, you may seek compensation against anyone for the behavior of their dog, no matter if it has a history of aggression or not. If you have suffered damages from a dog bite, it’s critical that you get hospital bills, medical costs, lost wages, and other damages covered.
Want to learn more about your rights as a dog bite victim? Contact our Las Cruces personal injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation.
What Types of Compensation Can Our Dog Bite Lawyers Obtain for Victims in New Mexico?
Since each dog bite victim’s case is unique, it is essential that you choose a personal injury lawyer to represent you who will provide customized legal support to give you the best chances possible for a successful claim. Working with our Las Cruces personal injury attorneys will make a difference in the type and amount of damages that are recovered from your claim.
Certainly, if a child is attacked by a dog, chances are his or her injuries will be more substantial than that of an adult who can deliver some type of defense against the animal. But that is not always true. Each dog bite case is different and requires a complex case review to ensure your personal injuries are fully accounted for before we begin our negotiations with the insurance company who represents the dog’s owner.
Financial compensation for dog bite injury victims can include, but is not limited to:
- Lost wages from the injury and during care
- Permanent and temporary disability
- Physical pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Psychological trauma and counseling
- Short- and long-term medical bills, including reconstructive surgery when necessary
In the State of New Mexico, a dog bite attorney may also seek punitive damages in cases where a dog’s owner knew that his or her dog was particularly dangerous yet did nothing to prevent the attack from occurring.
At the Law Offices of Kenneth G. Egan, Our Personal Injury Law Firm Also Focuses On The Following Practice Areas:
Our Las Cruces Dog Bite Lawyers Will Prove Negligence & Provocation
We talked about the “one bite rule” and how it doesn’t apply in New Mexico. This makes it more likely for your dog bite personal injury claims to successfully provide victims with compensation for their injuries. The key thing our dog bite lawyers must prove to the judge and jury (if a settlement is not made before that — which is usually the case) that the dog owner was in some way negligent. You can’t put a dog on trial; it is usually the dog’s owner who is responsible for failing to use “reasonable care” to prevent the dog from biting you. This may include knowing of the dog’s violent past and having it off leash or something else.
The other side of the coin, and the most common defense used in dog bite cases, is that the victim provoked the dog to attack. In some states, this can hurt your case much more than it would in New Mexico, as here courts tend to hold that the victim must have had prior knowledge of the dog’s aggressive behavior, for provocation defenses to stand.
If the dog’s owner and their legal representatives try to claim that you brought the injuries upon yourself, it’s crucial that you have a strong, experienced dog bite lawyer on your side defending you against these accusations by gathering evidence of the truth and helping you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
If you are in Las Cruces or the surrounding region and are looking for the best dog bite attorney to represent you, contact the Law Office of Kenneth G. Egan today for a free case evaluation.
Have You or a Loved One Been Bitten by a Dog in Las Cruces, New Mexico?
If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, it is important that you are able to pursue the financial compensation you deserve. Contact our Las Cruces, New Mexico dog bite lawyers at (575) 523-2222 to schedule a free case evaluation. We will fully outline your compensation needs and devise the best legal strategy available for your unique case to deliver a positive financial outcome.