Being attacked and bitten by a dog can be scary and traumatic. If you have suffered a dog bite injury, it is crucial to protect your health, safety, and legal rights. Working with a Burlington personal injury lawyer ensures you are on the right path for your case.
Steps to Take After Being Bitten by Someob ne Else’s Dog
If someone else’s dog bites you, your first move should be to seek medical care to treat the bite wound immediately. Once you receive the proper care, document your physical injuries and photograph the dog bite wounds. The photos can be used as evidence down the road to prove your side of the story to the insurance company and court.
Keep all receipts for medical expenses and pharmacy items related to the dog bite injury. For example, keep documents and receipts of the first initial visit to your doctor or emergency room. This can all be put into your claim to be reimbursed.
If anyone was around during the incident, see if they would write a statement. If you do not have that option, see if any nearby houses have a camera. If so, your dog bite lawyer in Burlington can try to get that footage for your case.
When Dog Bite Injuries Are Severe
In many dog bite cases, the physical injuries are relatively minor and heal fully over time. However, some dog attacks result in serious wounds requiring extensive medical treatment. If a dog bite has led to major health impacts like permanent scarring or disfigurement, broken bones, loss of mobility, or other substantial physical damages, you may have valid grounds to pursue legal action and financial compensation.
It is wise to consult with a Burlington dog bite attorney who can properly evaluate your situation. The lawyer can gather and assess crucial evidence like medical records, bills, photographs, and other documentation to prove the extent of your physical harm. He or she can also determine all potentially liable parties, including dog owners, landlords, businesses, insurance providers, and other entities.
It can be hard to go through this case while healing from injuries. Your lawyer can help take some overwhelm off you by handling more of the case. If you can provide proof, they can help navigate the rest.
Burlington Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (215) 985-2424
How to Prove the Dog Came After You
If your dog bite case progresses to a trial, strong supporting evidence will be needed to prove the dog attacked unprovoked, and the owner is therefore liable. Helpful evidence may include eyewitness statements from individuals who directly observed the incident unfold. Their accounts can provide critical third-party confirmation that the dog lunged, bit, knocked you down, or a similar scenario without warning or justification.
In addition to witness statements, your own detailed account of events will be important for establishing exactly what happened. Any statements or proof you can provide can be helpful to your case. You can write detailed information verifying you did nothing to provoke, threaten, or harm the dog before the bite will also help prove the attack was uncalled for.
Documentation of past complaints can also help. Include that in your documentation if you discover incidents or attacks involving the same aggressive dog. This can demonstrate the owner knew about the risk but failed to take reasonable precautions.
Why You Should Consider Compensation
Going after compensation after a dog bite injury is important to help you recover financially and emotionally. You may be entitled to various potential damages through a dog bite liability claim or lawsuit, including. Some of the types of compensation you may be able to seek include:
- Full reimbursement of medical bills already piling up and compensation for further treatment
- Lost income from missed work days because of healing or going to doctor appointments
- Pain and suffering damages
- Permanent impairment damages. For example, if the dog severely bit your hand and you have permanent disfigurement.
- Emotional issues like post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from the traumatic event
You can confidently understand your legal options by working with an experienced dog bite attorney in Burlington. With dedicated legal representation fighting for your best interests, you stand the greatest chance of successfully recovering maximum compensation under the law. Attorneys work on these cases day in and day out and know the loopholes and tricks the other party tries to play.
How a Burlington Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help
Having an attorney is strongly recommended if you want to actively pursue damage recovery after suffering a dog bite injury. Without a lawyer, building the strong case you need can be harder. Some of the ways a lawyer can help are:
- Conducting a thorough investigation of liability and circumstances surrounding the dog attack
- Estimating the full value of your legal claim based on documented damages and losses
- Negotiating aggressively with insurance providers on your behalf to push for fair compensation
- Representing your best interests in court if a satisfactory settlement cannot be reached out of court
- Advising you on smart legal strategies and helping you avoid mistakes that could hurt your claim
While you could represent yourself and go after compensation on your own, you will likely not experience the favorable outcomes you would if you had legal representation. You deserve a solid case to show your injury and any suffering. Without a strong case, you will not see the results you are looking for.
We Are Eager to Help You Build a Strong Case
A dog bite can cause serious injuries, making medical bills pile up quickly. Call Rand Spear, The Accident Lawyer, for a free consultation to see where you are and what the next step should be. We have helped numerous people fight for compensation for dog bite claims and are ready to support you.
A dog bite can impact your life in numerous ways. It is not something you should be paying for on your end. You deserve the justice we can work towards with you.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
