A livestock accident can disrupt nearly every part of your life, especially when facing unexpected financial pressure. Medical bills begin arriving before you’ve had a chance to understand your injuries fully. Missing work creates additional strain. Meanwhile, the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle only adds to the burden.
You may have the right to pursue livestock accident damages under California law. That compensation can help you manage the financial impact and begin the recovery process.
At Silva Injury Law, we help people struggling in the aftermath of serious accidents. We focus on compassionate, results-driven advocacy, and we’re prepared to fight for the full value of your case. This article outlines the damages you may be entitled to for livestock accidents.
Understanding Livestock Accident Damages
California law requires livestock owners to exercise reasonable care to prevent their animals from wandering into traffic. An animal owner or handler may be liable for the damage if they fail to take proper precautions. When this happens, you may be able to take legal action to recover financial compensation for your losses.
Let’s break down the types of recoverable compensation that may be available in this situation.
Damages in a Livestock Accident Case
Economic damages represent the direct financial losses you’ve suffered due to your accident. They often form the backbone of a livestock accident claim. These are the costs you can typically calculate with bills, receipts, or pay stubs.
Here are some of the most common types of economic damages you may be entitled to after a livestock-related collision.
Medical Expenses
Your health comes first after an accident, but medical care can be expensive. Even a seemingly minor incident can result in serious injuries that require emergency attention and long-term care. We can help you pursue compensation for the following:
- Emergency medical services,
- Diagnostic testing,
- Hospital stays,
- Surgeries,
- Follow-up appointments,
- Physical therapy,
- Prescription medications,
- Medical equipment, and
- Future medical costs if your injuries require ongoing treatment.
If your injuries are permanent or require long-term care, we’ll work with medical professionals to calculate the cost of that care over time so you won’t be left struggling years from now.
Lost Wages
After a livestock accident, many injured individuals are unable to return to work—sometimes for days, weeks, or even months. During this time, the loss of income can quickly create financial strain, especially as medical bills and daily expenses continue to add up.
If your injuries kept you from earning a paycheck, you may be entitled to recover the wages you missed while healing. Lost wages include your base salary or hourly pay and any lost tips, commissions, bonuses, and other forms of compensation tied to your work.
In more serious cases, your injuries may prevent you from returning to the same job or working in your field. When that happens, you may be able to seek compensation for loss of earning capacity: i.e., the difference between what you earned before the accident and what you’re capable of achieving now.
Property Damage
Striking a large animal like a cow or horse can cause devastating damage to your vehicle. In some cases, the car may be totaled. Property damage compensation can cover the following:
- The cost to repair or replace your vehicle,
- Damage to personal property inside the car,
- Towing fees, and
- Rental car expenses.
Even if your insurance pays for some of these costs, you may still have out-of-pocket expenses or deductibles that can be recovered from the liable party.
Noneconomic Damages in a Livestock Accident Case
While financial losses like medical bills and lost income are often at the top of people’s minds after an accident, they only tell part of the story. A livestock accident can disrupt your life in intangible ways that aren’t reflected in receipts or pay stubs. Noneconomic damages aim to compensate you for the emotional and psychological toll of your injuries. Although they are more challenging to quantify, you still have the right to recover compensation for the impact of the accident on your well-being, relationships, and daily routines.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering refers to the physical pain and discomfort you’ve endured because of your injuries. These damages include not only the immediate pain after the accident but also chronic pain that may linger for weeks, months, or even years. If your injuries require surgery, physical therapy, or other painful treatments, this can further support a claim for pain and suffering.
Emotional Distress
A sudden, traumatic accident—especially one involving a large animal—can leave lasting emotional scars. You might find yourself dealing with anxiety every time you drive, struggling with depression, or suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You may have trouble sleeping, experience mood swings, or withdraw from activities and relationships you once enjoyed.
These emotional struggles can be debilitating and deserve to be acknowledged. A claim for emotional distress addresses these psychological impacts and helps validate the invisible injuries you’ve endured.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Your injuries might limit your ability to participate in the things that once brought you joy, such as hiking, dancing, playing sports, or even caring for your family. When your quality of life is compromised due to an accident, that loss can be factored into your compensation.
Loss of Consortium
If your injuries have affected your ability to maintain a close, loving relationship with your spouse or domestic partner, your partner may be able to bring a claim for loss of consortium. This claim includes loss of companionship, care, affection, emotional support, and sexual relations.
Talk to Silva Injury Law About Your Livestock Accident
At Silva Injury Law, we’re here to help take the burden of livestock accident damages off your shoulders. Our team is committed to promoting healing through compassionate advocacy, starting with listening to your story. We take the time to understand how your accident has impacted every area of your life.
We’re trial-ready, client-focused, and deeply dedicated to helping Californians move forward. If you or a loved one has been injured in a livestock accident, let us step in and help protect your rights.
Call Silva Injury Law today or fill out our contact form for a 100% free, no-obligation consultation.
