Chino, CA asked in Animal / Dog Law for California

Q: My dog received a surgery burn on her side in October. Vet offered compensation for what she went through & myself.

Now End of March and still waiting to be reimbursed for doctor bills. Can I sue for my pain and suffering along with my dogs to cover any possible injury to such a venerable area. She’s left with a large area with no fur for protection.

Can you sue for negligence? This vet seems to have several liability cases.

If the vet stated he wanted to compensate the dog for what she went through and myself, how does one go about him keeping his word?

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
William John Light
William John Light
Answered
  • Animal & Dog Law Lawyer
  • Santa Ana, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: No, you cannot sue for pain and suffering. Dogs are considered property. You could possibly get a refund for the cost of the procedure. If there are any procedures to repair the scarred area, you could potentially recover the cost of those procedures. You could possibly recover diminished value for the dog based upon its scarring. That would probably require some form of expert testimony from a dog breeder for a similar dog. If your dog is not a show dog, that claim is probably not worth very much.

1 user found this answer helpful

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.