Should I Get A Lawyer for A Dog Bite?
If you’ve been attacked or bitten by a dog, you should absolutely speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Here are some of the ways a lawyer from our firm can help:
- Evaluate your injury claim for free and explain your options.We will go through everything that has happened in your case, step by step, to determine whether you are eligible for compensation and what kinds of damages you could receive.
- Investigate your case and craft a strong claim: We will collect all the evidence needed to show what happened to you and who should be held responsible. We will also thoroughly document your injuries and other losses in order to determine what maximum compensation should be. As we build your case, we may work with medical experts to demonstrate how your injuries will affect you in the future.
- Negotiate with insurance companies and take your case to trial, if necessary. Insurance companies have many strategies to try to get victims to accept lowball settlements. They may push you to accept a smaller offer more quickly because you’re facing pressure from medical bills, or they may only offer to pay for some of the damages you are owed without telling you what you are fully entitled to receive. Don’t let insurers take advantage of you like this. Our lawyers will aggressively negotiate for the settlement you deserve and be ready to take your case to court if needed.
Can I Sue for Getting Bit by a Dog?
Dog owners have a responsibility to protect guests, visitors, passers-by, and others from being attacked by their pet. If they fail to do this and you are bitten, the dog owner may be liable for the damages you suffer.
At KRW Lawyers, we understand that, in many instances, the victim of the dog attack may already know the dog and the dog’s owner. The dog’s owner may even be a close friend or family member. You may feel hesitant to pursue a personal injury claim, in that instance, but it’s important you know that the dog’s owner likely has a homeowners’ insurance policy that will cover your injuries and losses. In most cases, we will pursue compensation from the insurance company.
Here are some of the damages that you may be entitled to recover if you are bitten by a dog:
- Medical expenses: You can pursue compensation for past, present, and future medical expenses in a dog bite injury claim. Compensation for future medical care is especially important in cases where serious injuries result from dog attacks. Some reports show that dog bite victims suffer more than $1 billion in monetary losses every year, and much of those losses come in the form of medical bills.
- Lost income and future earning potential: Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may be facing a long leave of absence from work as you undergo surgery or other treatment after being bitten. Worse yet, your injuries may impact your ability to keep working in the future. Damages for lost income and future earning potential can help keep you living comfortably in the aftermath of your attack.
- Pain and suffering: You may be in serious physical pain after being attacked, and dog attacks can leave mental scars that linger for years afterward. In successful dog bite injury claims, you can be compensated for both the mental and physical pain you suffered when you were attacked.
Who Is Responsible for My Dog Bite Injury?
Determining who is responsible for your injury is one of the key components of any dog bite lawsuit, and it’s where an experienced attorney can make a major difference. If the dog’s owner was not at home at the time of the attack, the responsibility may lie with whoever was supervising the dog. Other times, dogs are under the care and watch of a friend or family member, a boarding service, a walking service, or someone else.
There are also cases where the dog in question is a known neighborhood hazard, and the owner failed to take proper precautions. Regardless of the circumstances of your case, a lawyer can help figure out where the fault for your injuries lies.
What Do You Do Legally After a Dog Bite?
The first thing to do after being bitten by a dog is to seek medical care as fast as possible. Even minor bites can lead to infections and rabies, due to foreign bacteria in the dog’s mouth and in their saliva. Make sure to follow your doctor’s directions carefully and keep copies of all medical bills and related records. You will need those records to substantiate any claims for damages you make.
The next step is to request vaccination records from the owner of the animal that bit you. Your doctor will likely want to see these records anyway, if for no other reason than to rule out a possible rabies infection. You’ll also want to get any other records you can find about the animal’s veterinary history, who the veterinarian is, and so on.
It’s also important to gather evidence to support your case. Take photos of the injuries, gather contact information of any eyewitnesses of the attack, and report the attack to San Antonio’s Animal Care Services, which may investigate.
Finally, contact an experienced San Antonio dog bite attorney. Texas dog owners have a specific duty under state law to control their dogs at all times. Failing to do so can result in serious harm. A dog bite attorney can help you pursue your rightful compensation if you have been attacked by a pet.
