Were you attacked by a dog or animal? Talk to a dog bite lawyer or an animal attack attorney to get just compensation for your injuries and suffering.
Did you know that approximately 4.5 million dog bites happen in the US each year? About 800,000 of those incidents result in medical care. We wonder if all of those individuals received compensation for their injuries, pain, and suffering.
You have six years from the date of the attack to file your claim. It’s imperative to talk to a dog bite lawyer following an attack. Many people do not realize that pet owners are liable for these attacks.
In Ohio and North Carolina, owners are strictly liable for damages or injuries caused by their animals. This means that courts are able to impose liability without ever needing to find “fault.” This works out well for victims, but you’ll still need evidence and an expert lawyer to get financial compensation.
When it comes to animal attack laws, the scope of how you get injured by a dog, cat, or another animal can be quite broad. This means that you may be knocked to the ground, chased, or attacked in other ways that caused injuries.
No matter how the injury happens, you can have considerable trauma following an animal attack. You may not be able to work in the same job if you worked around animals previously or if there is even a chance of running into a dog again.
As medical bills accumulate, you’ll want to take the owner to court to ensure that you receive compensation. Again, these attacks are through no fault of your own, which means that the animal and owner will be held responsible.
The owner, guardian, keeper, or harborer of the dog is liable for any injury caused when the dog’s behavior causes the injury, the injured person was not committing a crime, and the injured person was not teasing, tormenting, or involved in other abuse of the animal.
If you’re able to prove that the previous statements are true, then the owner is liable and must pay all of the associated medical bills, lost wages, and other damages resulting from the incident.
This law applies to dog bites as well as other injuries. For example, if you were knocked down by a big dog and suffered an injury, you could file a lawsuit against the dog’s owner.
You also don’t have to prove that the dog’s owner was negligent due to the strict liability law, but it helps to show that they failed to act with reasonable care or even contributed to the abuse that led to the animal’s violence.
Animals are still animals, after all, but most people trust that dogs out in public with their owners are not going to chase and attack them. However, that’s exactly what leads to most dog bite lawsuits.
1. Call Authorities and Get Medical Attention
If you are attacked by a dog, you’ll want to immediately call for medical attention. It’s also important to call the authorities and make a report to the police.
2. Collect Evidence
It’s important to document your injuries through photographs and videos. You also want to try to get video evidence of the dog or animal that attacked you. Documenting the scene, the attacker, and owner of the animal supports your case.
3. Hire a Dog Attack Attorney
Whether you are attacked by a dog or another animal, you’ll want to protect yourself and hire a lawyer. It’s likely that you’ll have ongoing medical bills, depending on the severity of the dog attack.
To receive the most compensation for these animal attacks, video evidence is often key because it shows the aggression of the animal and the owner. While homeowner’s insurance may cover some of the costs, you’ll want to work with a dog bite lawyer who knows the law and can ensure you get fair compensation for all damages.
While dog bites are the most common case we see in animal injury law, there are many other ways that you can be hurt by someone’s pet.
For example, a dog may chase and attack you without significant bleeding, just bite marks or bruising. You should still medical attention to these injuries and document them. You can sue for pain and suffering due to trauma in some cases.
In other cases, dog attacks lead to accidents and falls, which can cause broken bones or torn ligaments. Again, these require medical attention and even surgical repair.
The compensation for your case really depends on the severity of the attack and injuries. However, just because you didn’t have any broken bones or severe scarring, that doesn’t mean you won’t receive ample compensation, especially if you have lingering trauma due to the animal’s attack.
In most cases, you’re able to receive compensation for any medical bills and lost wages due to the attack. However, compensation will go up if the injuries were debilitating, including compensation for ongoing medical care for your mental health.
We’ve also seen cases where an attack led to the death of one’s pet or fatal accidents. These also factor into the total compensation. Working with an attorney can maximize your financial compensation. Unfortunately, you may not be able to get a settlement from an insurance company if you are using the individual pet owner.
Our experienced attorneys can help you with a case evaluation and provide an estimate on how much your case is worth.
You must file your claim within a certain period of time for animal attacks and dog bites. This ranges from 2 to 6 years depending on where you’re located. While dog bite lawsuits fall under personality injury, your time to file your claim starts from the day that you were attacked.
That’s why it’s so important that you report the incident, get medical care, and talk to an attorney as soon as possible. Even if you don’t know the owner of the dog, a lawyer may be able to help you win a case against an individual or business for keeping animals in unsafe conditions that led to your attack.
What would you do if you were attacked by a dog? We recommend that anyone in this situation talk to a lawyer after getting medical attention and speaking to the authorities. Most cases are cut and dry when attacked by a dog, and the owner will be liable for paying your medical bills.
In some cases, owners will hire their own lawyers to argue that their dog was provoked by the claimant. If you don’t have eyewitness statements or other evidence showing the dog’s aggressive behavior, you may not be successful in earning compensation. However, expert dog attack lawyers understand how to defend against these accusations.
For example, door-to-door salesmen often get accused of committing a crime or provoking an animal. However, the law is clear that solicitors are protected, even if they don’t have a permit to conduct door-to-door sales. Cases may become complicated if salesmen go into the house and were bit, which is why photos and videos of the scene and animal are imperative as evidence.
Have you suffered an injury due to a dog bite? Is someone accusing your animal of attacking them without provocation? You need a knowledgeable dog bite lawyer on your side. Talk to us about your case and ask questions by calling 614-221-3750 or schedule your consultation online.
In most cases, you’re able to receive compensation for any medical bills and lost wages due to the attack. However, compensation will go up if the injuries were debilitating, including compensation for ongoing medical care for your mental health.
We’ve also seen cases where an attack led to the death of one’s pet or fatal accidents. These also factor into the total compensation. Working with an attorney can maximize your financial compensation. Unfortunately, you may not be able to get a settlement from an insurance company if you are using the individual pet owner.
Our experienced attorneys can help you with a case evaluation and provide an estimate on how much your case is worth.
The sooner your case is filed, the sooner you will receive the results you deserve. Insurance companies only have one goal – to settle your case for the least possible amount. Claim adjusters may try to hassle you for statements, ask misleading and manipulative questions, or try to settle quickly. That all stops when the law R&G Personal Injury Lawyers represents you.
Ohio
830 W. Broad Street.
Columbus, OH 43222
(614) 221-3750
North Carolina
120 Preston Executive Dr.
STE 200. Cary, NC 27513
(919) 561-6800
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