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Introduction
Many people feel like getting bitten by a dog is an injury that can be easily lived with and overcome. Not so! Biting through layers of skin, muscle tissue, and bone leaves lasting scars and sometimes results in possible infections. These injuries are expensive to recover. Plus, the emotional trauma of being attacked by a dog is hard to shake off. The dog owners’ insurance company may provide you with some compensation, but it is unlikely to be enough to pay for the costs of your injuries. It is where hiring a dog bite attorney comes in. Dog bites are covered by the owner’s liability policy and usually are not covered by your own homeowner’s, renter’s, or umbrella policy.
5 Steps For Filing A Dog Bite Lawsuit
Step 1: Know your rights, As with most legal issues.
The first thing to do is to make sure you know the laws and regulations which apply to your situation. It may require a visit to the local courthouse or library. Also, ask family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and others how you were injured. Often there are clues in the statements of others that may suggest that one’s injuries were due to a dog bite if they did not appear to be accidental.
Step 2: Report your injuries to your employer as soon as possible. Be sure to report all damages on the same day. Discuss with your employer how the injury happened, and tell them about any medical care you may have been taking. Your employer will then have a legal obligation to keep reporting health records and issuing future time off due to injury-related problems.
Step 3: File an accident or police report immediately with the police or sheriff’s department. These are required to get medical records. If you have any suspicious bruises or injuries, it may be wise to file a police report. If a stranger attacked you, the dog owner might be responsible if there is sufficient evidence that the owner was aware of the attack and failed to take action. Even if your dog was not at fault, remain in contact with the police and notify them if a new incident occurs. Although rare, if you are attacked again by the same dog, you may have a claim against the owner.
Step 4: Contact an attorney immediately and begin your search for a dog bite lawyer. The decision to hire a lawyer is essential. It would help if you had an attorney with experience with dog bite cases. It is a good idea to move through the steps of the dog bite lawsuit in sequential order and make copies of everything to use as a reference. Be sure to note what you learned from past dog bite cases so that you can represent yourself effectively in court.
Step 5: Find a dog bite lawyer with experience with cases like yours. Keep in mind that not all attorneys are familiar with the particulars of dog bites. Be sure to ask about an attorney’s knowledge of dog attacks, the laws and regulations, and how the attorney has handled similar cases. It would be best to ask about the amount of money that may be recoverable in such a case.
Conclusion
Taking care of a simple dog bite can turn into an expensive and emotionally stressful ordeal. It is essential to go through the facts of your situation before you lose more time than necessary in the courts. The owner’s liability policy covers dog bites, so dealing with these legal matters quickly and efficiently. For more information, visit dog bite lawyers at ZayedLaw.com.
