Should You Call A Lawyer After a Dog Bite Injury?
If you or someone you know has suffered from a dog bite injury, read this article for information to see if you can take legal action over your injuries.
If you’ve been bitten by someone’s dog, it may be confusing or awkward to know what to do.
You may be wondering when you should call a lawyer for a dog bite injury, if at all.
After all, dogs will be dogs.
Especially if it’s a friend’s or family member’s dog, you may be tempted to think that’s just how animals are and there’s no need to make a fuss.
We have some important information for you here about how to approach these bite injuries. We hope that we’ll be able to help you know what to do and whether or not you should take legal action.
How Serious is a Dog Bite Injury?
When nicknames for dogs have evolved into things like “fluffer” and “fur baby,” we tend to be pretty forgiving of dogs that are pets.
We can’t communicate with them, so if a dog bites us, we may just write it off as an animal acting on its own instincts.
Sometimes, the bite is so bad that you need to go to a hospital or see a doctor. This could easily complicate matters as can get expensive and add another element to the overall pot of who is at fault and who is responsible for what.
If the bite isn’t as bad, though, you may think nothing of it.
You may simply wash your hands, shake it off, and move on with your life.
It’s important to remember, though, that a dog bite may cause more than just pain, and you may not even know it right away. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), other than pain and injury, dog bites could be responsible for many diseases.
You could be at risk of rabies, Pasteurella, tetanus, and more.
No matter whose dog it is or how cute it may be, it’s important to still take the dog bite seriously.
Who’s at Fault for a Dog Bite Injury?
We tend to love dogs as humans. They’re “man’s best friend,” they look cute as puppies, and they’re usually loyal to a fault.
It may seem odd if a dog bites a human because they are generally so domesticated, but the reality is that you never know what a dog may do or how it will react.
We can guess based on body language if they are happy, angry, hungry, etc., but a dog may lash out if it’s scared and you might never see it coming!
So who’s at fault if a dog bites you or someone you know?
The reality is that it really depends on a lot of factors, and most importantly, the liability laws in your state.
Some example factors to consider would be:
- Was the dog in a fenced-in area?
- Was the dog on a leash?
- Was the owner with the dog when it bit?
- Was the bitten party trespassing when bitten?
- Did the bitten party provoke the dog in any way?
There may have been many factors that contributed to the bite in the first place. The details of who is at fault also really depend on your state.
Some states have liability laws that find the dog owner at fault no matter what if the dog is responsible for injury or damage.
Some states find the dog owner responsible only if they were negligent in caring for the dog or keeping the biting from happening in the first place.
Other states may even operate on a “one bite policy” (so to speak). As in, the owner is responsible if the dog has previously bitten someone and the owner did nothing to stop it from happening in the future.
Basically, you will still need to do some research on your state’s own laws.
When Should You Call a Lawyer for a Dog Bite?
Regardless of who is ultimately at fault, if you or someone you know suffered a dog bite injury, you should consider calling a lawyer as soon as possible.
Bites like these fall under a personal injury claim, and you don’t have an infinite amount of time to file one.
The statute of limitations is put in place that essentially puts a time limit on when a claim may be made.
This is put in place for a number of reasons, including:
- To uphold the integrity of evidence
- To prevent an injured party from indefinitely threatening to sue
Just as with your state’s liability laws, you will also need to know your state’s statute of limitations.
There are websites that allow you to look up the statute of limitations for all states.
This is an excellent starting point, but it’s another good reason why you should still consider consulting with a lawyer.
A good quality lawyer will be most up-to-date on your state’s dog-bite laws, the statute of limitations, and other crucial factors. If you’re looking for a qualified lawyer who can help, be sure to read more.
What Can Be Compensated?
If you’re wondering what exactly can be compensated for a bite, damages include:
- Medical bills related to the bite
- Compensation of property that was damaged due to the bite (clothing, for instance)
- Wages lost due to bite (such as missing out on work due to doctor’s appointments)
- Disabilities related to the bite
- Emotional distress related to the bite
In fact, there are more. Sometimes, it’s difficult to see it all at the moment, but a number of difficulties and problems can come out of these situations.
For example, what if the bite happened while you were at work? Does work into the equation?
Is a Lawyer Necessary?
If you or someone you know has suffered from a dog bite, there are a number of things that may be running through your head:
- Was the bite serious?
- Is a lawyer necessary?
- If so, when should I contact a lawyer?
- What will happen if I contact a lawyer?
Hopefully, this guide gave you some much-needed insight into this issue.
If you have any more questions or are interested in other helpful tips, please feel free to !
