Established Santa Barbara Personal Injury Attorneys for Dog Bites

Holding dog owners liable for harm done by their pets

Dogs bring a great deal of joy to people’s lives. They’re companions, helpmates and guardians. But as much as we in America appreciate our dogs, we cannot overlook the destructive potential of “man’s best friend.” According to the Centers for Disease Control, dogs bite 4.7 million people in the United States annually. More than 800,000 dog bite victims seek medical attention. Of these, about 386,000 require emergency treatment and approximately 16 die. Half the people bitten are children, with young children often sustaining injuries to the head and neck. Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP provides prompt, professional and effective legal representation for victims of dog bites in and around Santa Barbara. For more than 40 years, we’ve helped dog bite victims recover monetary damages for attacks resulting in:

Amputations
Avulsions
Cellulitis/infection
Contusions/abrasions/hematomas
Crushed limbs or extremities
Disfigurement
Dislocations

Fractures
Lacerations
Paralysis
Puncture wounds
Shock-related injury
Wrongful death

California dog bite law favors innocent victims

Though it’s the state with the most dog bites annually, California maintains strict standards of liability for dog owners. According to the California dog bite statute:

“The owner of any dog is liable for the damages suffered by any person who is bitten by the dog while in a public place or lawfully in a private place, including the property of the owner of the dog, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness.”

Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP acts quickly to establish the necessary elements of your case. We promptly identify the offending dog and its owner. We obtain statements from witnesses regarding the place and the circumstances of the attack to firmly establish your lawful presence and eliminate claims of contributory negligence in your encounter with the dog. We research the dog’s history to see if the owner’s lack of response to prior attacks could amount to egregious behavior that warrants punitive damages. We make a compelling case for your right to recover:

Economic damages — Costs of medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost income, reconstructive surgery, scar revision surgery, psychological therapy, etc.
Noneconomic damages — Amounts to compensate for pain, suffering, disfigurement, emotional distress, trauma, diminished quality of life, etc.

Contact Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP today for a free consultation and case evaluation

Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP accepts dog bite cases on a contingency fee basis, so there are no upfront legal fees. To schedule an appointment, call us at 805.259.3581 or contact our Santa Barbara office online.

Attorney Profiles
- Martin E. Pulverman Raymond J. Pulverman
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Our Office
- 1307 State Street
  Second Floor
  
  Santa Barbara, California 93101
  Phone: 805.259.3581
RECENT VERDICTS AND SETTLEMENTS
- $4,375,772 Arbitration award to a man severely injured as a pedestrian after being abandoned on the side of Highway 101 at 2 a.m. He was struck and injured 20 minutes later by a hit and run motorist and lost a leg and survived a lengthy coma. His arbitration award was against his girlfriend who was negligent for abandoning him on the side of the road. She disputed any liability and blamed him for being drunk. The award was reduced by 50 percent because of his intoxication.
- $3,204,934 Verdict for a man who sued an insurance company for its unreasonable refusal to settle his claim for $100,000 (policy limits). The jury determined that the insurance company acted in bad faith and the court entered a judgment for the injured plaintiff. $2,200,000 Action against international cruise line for injuries suffered on an on-shore excursion based on negligent supervision of the shore excursion provider.
- $2,000,015 Mediated settlement for a man who suffered a crushed foot in a head-on collision in the desert. $2,000,000 Jury verdict for a female motorist hit by a truck on US 101. She sustained fractures to her pelvis, femur, tibia and fibula requiring surgery. $2,000,000 Recovered for a motorcyclist who was hit by a truck and sustained orthopedic and traumatic brain injuries.
- $1,250,000 Mediated settlement for a man injured in a motorcycle accident causing a broken foot, clavicle and punctured lung. Dispute over the extent of the injuries complicated by a previously undiagnosed diabetic condition. This represented the policy limits. $1,187,704 verdict on behalf of a bicyclist who sustained shoulder, knee and rib injuries by a truck driver who violated the bicyclist’s right of way.
- $1,100,000 Settlement for a man who was rear-ended by an underinsured motorist with a $25,000 liability policy. An additional $1,075,000 was recovered under the underinsured motorist policy. $1,010,866 A pedestrian walking out of a store in San Luis Obispo is struck by a motorist entering a parking space hitting the gas instead of the brakes causing a broken leg.
- $1,000,000 Mediated settlement for a man with a fractured pelvis injured in a freeway collision with a driver carrying minimum limits of coverage ($15,000). An employer paid an additional $735,000 for a total policy limit of $750,000. An additional $250,000 was recovered in underinsured motorist benefits (policy limits). $1,055,000 Mediated settlement for a young woman who suffered a fractured knee in the parking lot of an oil change service facility. $1,100,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who sustained a fractured tibia, fibula and ribs when he was struck by a car exiting a driveway. $1,100,000 settlement for a woman who sustained a mild traumatic brain injury as a passenger in a single car collision. $1,051,250 Plaintiff/passenger suffered a fractured femur from a high speed rear end collision. Plaintiff/driver suffered lacerations from flying glass. Defendant contended he suffered a seizure and alleged the sudden unanticipated emergency defense and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
- $815,000 Settlement for a man who suffered a herniated disc with an underinsured drunk driver who paid $15,000. An additional $800,000 was recovered under an underinsured motorist policy. $500,000 Mediated settlement for policy limits for a woman who broke her hip in a rear-end accident. The defense contended the injury existed before the accident and initially offered $51,000.
- $410,645 Mediated settlement in a motorcycle crash causing a rotator cuff injury. Disputed over pre-existing medical conditions. $235,000 Mediated settlement for a woman who slipped and fell on water at an auto dealership near a water fountain. $74,277 Verdict for a woman injured in an intersection accident. Dispute over the force of impact. The defense offered $30,000 forcing a trial. The court also awarded $28,547 in costs.
- $600,000 Settlement for a woman who sustained a shoulder injury in an intersection collision with a driver who ran a red light.
- $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car pulling out of a parking lot. $1,000,000 settlement for a motorcyclist who injured his leg by a car exiting a shopping center parking lot. $1,000,025 recovered for a woman who injured her shoulders and arms in an intersection crash.