Dog bite incidents are often painful and leave victims with expensive medical bills. Victims can recover compensation by filing claims with the dog owner’s insurance company.
However, getting the only possible fair compensation is difficult with an Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer on your side. Insurance companies will often try to reduce or deny your recovery.
A dog bite can be a traumatic experience that leaves physical and psychological scars. An attack from a vicious or dangerous animal can change an innocent stroll in the park or a fun day with family and friends into a nightmare. When an attack occurs, immediate medical attention is critical for both the victim’s health and legal purposes. An experienced New York Dog Bite Lawyer can help to protect victims’ rights by working to ensure they receive the compensation they deserve for their injuries.
In addition to addressing any physical damage, prompt medical treatment addresses emotional trauma caused by the dog bite. Prompt medical care also helps to fully document injuries and symptoms, which is crucial from a legal perspective. Documentation of an injury, medical treatment, and its impact on a person’s life is used in personal injury claims to establish the severity of the incident and associated costs.
An experienced lawyer can help a victim recover compensation for out-of-pocket expenses, including medical bills, insurance co-payments, lost wages, and other financial losses associated with the accident. They can also work to collect maximum compensation for a victim’s pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. They can fight against the tactics of insurance companies that may attempt to lowball victims with settlement offers that do not even begin to cover their actual damages.
Immediately reporting the dog bite to animal control is another important step for victims. This agency can investigate the incident, determine if the dog is vaccinated for rabies, and take necessary action. A police report will also be created, which can be beneficial to a claim for damages.
If the victim is unable to identify the dog or owner for any reason (such as in the case of the pit bull subway attack mentioned above), an experienced New York Dog Bite Lawyer will help to track down this information. The attorney can then work to hold the at-fault party liable for the attack, ensuring that victims receive full and fair compensation for their damages. This includes compensation for their current and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Reporting the Incident
A dog bite victim needs to report the incident immediately. This step is important to help create an official record of the attack, which is crucial for any personal injury claim. It also helps authorities understand how the dog attacks and whether it poses a continuing threat to other members of the community. This information can be used to inform any future decisions made by the dog owner regarding their pet’s behavior and vaccination status.
Whether or not a dog bite victim files a police report, they should try to identify the owner of the dog and get their name, insurance information, and any details about the animal, including its vaccination history. It may also be helpful to obtain any witness statements. Victims should also take photographs of their injuries and the scene, which can help their attorney build a case.
While New York is not a one-bite state, victims can pursue non-economic damages for emotional distress, disfigurement, and other harms caused by a dangerous dog. They can only do so, however, if they can show that the dog in question demonstrated a propensity for violence and that the owner knew about the dog’s aggressive tendencies.
Victims should also seek compensation for the cost of medical treatment and other costs related to their injury. These include travel expenses for trips to and from doctors’ offices, loss of income due to an inability to work, and pain and suffering. If the injury is permanent, they can also pursue compensation for loss of earning capacity.
Dog bites can cause serious and permanent injuries that impact the quality of life for victims. They can be debilitating and lead to a range of complications, including nerve damage and a heightened fear of dogs or public spaces. A successful claim can help victims recover the money they need to cope with these effects and live as normally as possible.
If you have been bitten or attacked by a dog, it is vital to consult with an experienced Long Island Dog Bite Lawyer as soon as possible to review your legal options. Call Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P. to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney today.
Gathering Evidence
Taking steps to document and gather evidence after a dog bite is essential to building a strong legal case. This may include obtaining police and animal control reports, medical and veterinary records, photographs of the injuries, and witness statements. The more comprehensive and detailed this information is, the better a victim’s claim will be.
Photographs are an important piece of evidence to collect, as they can clearly show the severity of a victim’s injuries. Close-up photos of the wounds can reveal details that are not readily apparent, such as deep puncture wounds or lacerations. Documenting the attack scene is also important, as this can provide context to the circumstances that led to the incident. This can include any visible signs of negligence, such as broken fences or unsecured gates that could have allowed the dog to escape and attack.
Medical and veterinary records can provide valuable insight into the impact of the attack on the victim’s life. These records can help to validate a claim for damages for both economic and non-economic losses. Medical documents can include emergency room intake forms, physician notes, test results, prescriptions for medication and therapy, hospital bills, insurance claims and more. The breed, age and history of the dog can be discovered through these documents as well.
A veterinary expert can be called upon to provide a professional opinion in a court of law. Veterinarians who specialize in animal behavior can offer insights into a dog’s breed-specific temperament and propensity for aggression. This information can aid in establishing whether or not the dog showed aggressive behavior in the past and if the owner was aware of it.
A seasoned Dog Bite Lawyer can help to build a case that includes documentation of the physical and emotional impacts of a dog attack. This can include a victim’s medical bills, the cost of therapy or counseling sessions, and a doctor’s prognosis on potential permanent scarring and disfigurement. This evidence can help support a claim for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental distress.
Getting Legal Representation
Whether it’s for financial compensation or emotional and physical recovery, victims of dog attacks should not have to go through this difficult process alone. A skilled Dog Bite Lawyer will help to ensure that victims receive the justice they deserve. In doing so, they will assist in navigating complicated injury law, dealing with aggressive insurance companies, and ensuring that victims are fairly compensated for their losses.
A good Dog Bite Attorney will investigate all aspects of the incident, including speaking with witnesses and gathering evidence like medical records, police reports, and photos. They can also take the time to understand the emotional trauma and physical damage that may have occurred from the attack. Then they will work to get victims the maximum amount of compensation possible for these injuries.
The annals of legal history are full of cases where Dog Bite Attorneys have dramatically changed a victim’s life through judicious intervention and the securing of significant settlements and awards. Beyond courtroom victories, they are also a critical force in advocating for legislative changes that call for enhanced safety standards.
An experienced Dog Bite Lawyer will understand which arguments an opposing attorney may raise, such as comparative negligence or assumption of risk. These arguments can reduce or even deny reimbursement for a victim’s medical expenses and other costs associated with the attack.
In some cases, victims can seek non-economic damages for things like pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement. In order to do so, they must show that the dog in question displayed a vicious propensity and that the owner was aware of this. An experienced Dog Bite Lawyer will be familiar with these issues and how to properly prove them in mediation or in a court of law.
An experienced Dog Bite Lawyer can help to guide you through the entire legal process from filing an initial claim to negotiating with insurance providers and, if necessary, going to trial. A skilled Dog Bite Lawyer will be able to protect your rights, fight for your best interests, and ensure that you are fairly compensated for the injury you have suffered.