If your child has been injured by a dog in New Orleans, first seek medical attention for your child. Once that’s handled, reach out to local police and the SPCA, which handles animal control for Orleans Parish. You can file a police report even if you don’t know who the animal’s owner is, and police can assist in investigating and determining whether there’s a responsible party in the matter. Depending on the nature of the injuries, it may be beneficial to consult with an experienced New Orleans dog bite attorney as well. You may be eligible to recover damages from a negligent dog owner, including for your child’s hospital or medical bills, wages lost dealing with the dog bite and its aftermath, and future medical costs that may be associated with the incident. You may also be able to collect for your child’s pain and suffering, and to have so-called punitive fines attached for a…Read More
Yes, it may be possible to make a successful claim for compensation after a dog bite in New Orleans even if the dog was properly leashed. Every case is built on facts, and examining the facts of your case is vital in determining whether negligence can be shown on the part of the dog’s owner. Louisiana law applies a strict liability concept in cases of dog bites, meaning that the owner is strictly liable for dog bite damages except in very narrow circumstances. When you or your child has been bitten by a dog, the owner may be liable for damages like medical expenses, lost wages from dealing with the aftermath of the bite, future medical costs, which are common in cases where reconstructive or cosmetic surgery may be required to fully heal an injury, and pain and suffering you or your child experienced during the event itself. The Gertler Law Firm is…Read More
Louisiana law makes it clear that a dog’s owner is strictly liable if they cause injury to a person, including a worker on the premises. Not only can you make a claim against the homeowner, but you may be able to recover immediate expenses for medical costs and lost wages through worker’s compensation. Under Louisiana’s worker’s compensation laws, you have the right to choose your own physician for treatment, up to $750 in care. If you require emergency treatment that exceeds that amount, worker’s comp will generally cover it. Outside of emergencies, after that amount, your employer’s health insurance plan must approve the physician. Sometimes disputes arise between an employer’s approved physician and your doctor. Needless to say, injuries resulting from a dog bite while working in a home can cause complicated situations that require experienced legal help. At The Gertler Law Firm, we’ve helped injured people in New Orleans recover more than…Read More
Many people don’t realize that the majority of dog bites don’t involve adult victims. Instead, the most likely victim of an aggressive dog is a child between the ages of five and nine. Because of their small size, the injuries from a bite or mauling can be serious and require extensive medical intervention, often leaving permanent scarring. You have rights when your child has been attacked by a dog in New Orleans. Louisiana law creates a strict liability for dog owners in cases where their animals hurt others. That means that when you’ve sustained financial loss from medical expenses related to a dog bite case, it’s worth exploring your legal options to recover the costs. At The Gertler Law Firm, we help parents get the compensation they need to care for a child recovering from a dog bite or attack. Call us today at (504) 527-8767 for a free consultation with an experienced…Read More
In most cases, yes, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance will be the party you’ll deal with to collect damages like medical costs, lost wages, future medical costs, and pain and suffering. Negotiating with an insurance company after a dog bite can be difficult, since they have enormous incentives to undercut your costs by as much as possible. It’s important to fully account for current and future medical costs in particular, because many cases will require cosmetic surgery to correct scarring and other disfigurement, especially when the victim is a child. Louisiana uses a “strict liability” standard in dog bite cases, meaning that the owner is liable except in very limited circumstances. An experienced New Orleans dog bite attorney can help you evaluate the specifics of your case and help you find the right strategy for you and your family. The Gertler Law Firm has helped clients recover more than $100 million in damages.…Read More
Injury cases, including dog bite lawsuits in New Orleans, generally award compensation for a number of losses you may experience. These losses may include the costs of medical treatment associated with the dog bite, lost wages from time away from work receiving treatment or healing, future medical costs that you can reasonably anticipate as a result of the dog bite, compensation for pain and suffering from the experience, and recovery for any property damage that required repair or replacement. In dog bite lawsuit cases, owners are considered to have strict liability, but there are limitations based on individual circumstances. These are decided on a case by case basis, but generally speaking, if a victim can be shown to have provoked the dog, the dog’s owner can prevail in a dog bite case. This is why it’s so important to work with an experienced dog bite attorney. At The Gertler Law Firm, we…Read More
Dog bite cases are different from other types of animal bites in New Orleans, in that there is no requirement to prove negligence on the part of the dog owner. Injured parties in cases like yours don’t have to prove to the court that the owner of knew of the risk, or should have known of the risk, that the dog posed. This concept is known as “strict liability” and makes it challenging for dog owners to defend cases where their pets have bitten someone. To prevail, the owner will generally have to show that the victim provoked the dog in some way. Absent that, there is a good chance your case can move forward with a favorable outcome to you. We can help you receive compensation for a dog bite injury you or a loved one have suffered. The Gertler Law Firm is one of New Orleans’s most experienced accident and…Read More
At The Gertler Law Firm, we operate on a contingency fee basis, which means that we charge nothing if we don’t collect. When you join us for an initial consultation, the call or visit is entirely free, and there’s no obligation or pressure for you to do anything but tell us what’s happened and how it’s affected you. Dog bites can cause serious injuries, and even permanent disfigurement. It is required under law that dog owners restrain their pets and take necessary precautions to preserve the safety of the dog and other people. When they fail, they must be held accountable. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog in New Orleans, call The Gertler Law Firm today at (504) 527-8767 and talk to an experienced accident and injury attorney for free.Read More
Liability in a case where an intruder is mauled by a guard dog can only be determined on a case by case basis. Under Louisiana’s dog bite law, if the victim provokes a dog and is subsequently injured, the owner of the dog may not be held liable for damages. It’s possible that a court would view trespassing as a provocation of a trained guard dog, leaving the victim without legal recourse to pursue a damage award. But there may be other angles that would have to be considered. Whether the owner had signs or other warnings about the presence of the dog could matter, as could the specific facts of your case. There are factors that can prove the dog owner is liable for injuries caused by the dog. It’s worth discussing the issues with an experienced New Orleans dog bite attorney to see what legal options are open to you. At The…Read More
