Do I need a Lawyer if a dog bites me?

Dogs are beautiful animals that can be very friendly and make people happy. In fact, some dogs are used as a form of therapy. Some breeds of dogs can make recovering patients very happy and even help them help heal. After all, dogs have always and will still be regarded as “man’s best friend” for a long time.

However, there are times where dogs can be very dangerous and hurt people. More often than not, the circumstances regarding a dog attack are the responsibility of their owners.

The appalling numbers speak for themselves. In the United States of America, more than 4,5 million people are bitten every year by a dog. Numerous circumstances are surrounding each of these cases, but the numbers say that almost a quarter of these cases end up in serious injuries for those affected. Sometimes these cases end up in serious psychological trauma and outrageous medical expenses for the victims.

Sometimes, when a dog has bitten a person, the dog’s owner can offer a sum of money to the affected, in hopes that they walk out happy. They often want to avoid that the victim claims their insurance companies or presses charges. This can seem attractive to the victim, but oftentimes, it is a very impetuous decision to make. After all, the victim cannot make out the seriousness of the injury right away, unless they happen to be trained professionals. 

Even if the injury doesn’t seem serious at first glance, any victim should avoid accepting remuneration under the table after a dog bite or attack. The best thing to do is to go to an expert attorney for these types of cases. They should advise you adequately and help you take the best decision to get your medical expenses covered or your dignity preserved. Even if you are a dog owner, an expert in local laws can make things easier for you and provide you with the best alternatives regarding your case.

To answer the question in the title of this article: yes, more often than not, you need a Dog Bite Lawyer for your case. Get in touch with Krasney Law to know more and to find the professional that will represent you.

Furthermore, what are the most common scenarios in the legal aspects of a dog attack case? Well, there are some basic steps you should take into consideration when you are facing a dog bite case.

When you are injured by a dog…

When you face injuries caused by someone else’s dog, you have plenty of options. You can either pursue an insurance claim to the insurance company of the owner of the dog. Many companies cover dog bites occurred at the property of the insured. An expert attorney for these cases will help you open negotiations with the insurance company.

There is also the option of suing the owner of the dog seeking compensation for damages. Some local laws help the victims with injuries that are not only related to a dog bite but nevertheless, caused by the owner’s dog. The expertise of a local expert attorney will play a defining role in successfully confronting this situation.

To prove liability during a dog bite case

If you have a strong case and local laws favor you, you can easily hold the owner of the dog that attacked you liable for your injuries.  Some states hold laws that can make a dog owner liable when they know or have a reason to know that their pet was capable of inflicting damage or prone to. This is especially common when the pet had a story of previous aggressions.

Statutes that involve the owner’s alleged negligence are described as the responsibility an owner has of protecting others from their pet. This means that any person that enters the owner’s property has the right to be protected.

How can a dog owner defend themselves?

There are also many arguments a dog owner can use in a quarrel like this, some of these involve:

The victim was trespassing; the animal was provoked into an attack, or the victim is regarded as to some degree responsible for their injuries.