Dog Bite Injury
A dog bite injury is a serious injury, which can be disfiguring and cause serious emotional trauma. People who are badly bitten by a dog need a dog bite attorney to help them make sense of the laws.
Just under five million people in the United States will be bitten by a dog each year. The reason for the vastness of this staggering number is often a lack of supervision and containment on the part of those who own dangerous dogs. Over half of those bitten are children. Across the country, law enforcement officials believe that only one out of three dog bites are actually reported.
Another way to look at the frequency of dog bites is this: every forty seconds someone seeks medical help due to a dog bite injury in the United States. That is another staggering number. It is no wonder that dog bite lawsuits are happening across the country every day. Dog bite attorneys are attorneys who specialize in the law that affect dog bite injury victims.
If a dog bites you or your child, there are both serious physical and emotional consequences. While we do not like to think of bad things happening to our family, we should be prepared in the event of the worst possible scenario. Seeking legal help as soon as possible is the key to receiving the compensation you deserve in the case of a dog bite injury. Do not think that your family is safe because your dogs are good dogs. Estimates indicate that over half of all dog bite injury claims occur in someone’s home, with a dog that the family already knows or even owns. Remember, dogs are animals, and they are unpredictable.
Perhaps you are wondering whether or not a dog bite could happen to you or one of your children. If you are ever in the presence of dogs, the answer is yes! Whether you own a dog, or you take your children to the park where someone is walking his dog, you and your children are going to be around dogs, and you should be prepared in the event of a dog bite.
Dogs bite for a variety of reasons. Many dogs bite to show their dominance. If they feel a person has entered their territory, or taken something that belongs to them, they may attack. Other more timid dogs bite out of fear. Sometimes a dog will bite his caregiver when being mistreated. One of the more common causes of dog bite attacks is called redirected aggression. This type of attack occurs when the dog is approached while already in aggressive mode. The aggression is then directed to the person approaching the situation, rather than the person or animal they were originally aggressive towards.
If a dog bite occurs in your family, you need to seek the advice of a dog bite attorney. Dog bite lawyers will help to make sure you are paid the damages you are owed because of the dog bite. Remember, there may be long-term emotional and physical scars due to the dog bite. It is time to find a lawyer!
If you or someone in your family has a dog bite injury, you need a lawyer who specializes in dog bite cases. While you may think that taking the settlement offered by the dog owner’s insurance is sufficient, those who deal with these cases without a lawyer typically receive ten to twenty percent of the amount they would receive if they were represented. The long-term devastation of a serious dog bite is hard to imagine unless you have been through this type of injury before.
Perhaps you are thinking that the only time you would need dog bite lawyers is if you want to sue the owner of the dog. Dog bite attorneys do much more than that. In many cases, your lawyer will not advise taking the case to court, particularly if you do not want him to. The lawyer is there to represent your needs and wishes. Many, if not most, dog bite lawsuits are settled without going to court. But without an attorney, the dog bite victim is likely to not receive the amount they need to help with the lifelong pain and suffering from the injuries. If you or your child has been bitten, it is time to find a lawyer!
If you have been the victim of a dog bite injury, it is time to seek a lawyer. Where do you go to find quality dog bite lawyers who understand what it takes to see you compensated for your losses? How do you hire one of the dog bite attorneys you find? Are there actually attorneys who specialize in dog bite lawsuits?
Many dog bite victims turn to personal injury attorneys for their dog bite lawsuits. While many personal injury attorneys do a fine job representing dog bite victims, finding a specialized dog bite lawyer is a better course of action. Many lawyers specialize in representing dog bite victims and their families. They know the laws surrounding dangerous dogs and dog bites, and are better able to represent the victim’s needs. They are also specialized at handling the delicate issues relating to children who have been injured in an attack.
You can start your search locally. Call several personal injury attorneys and find out whether or not they have experience with dog bite injury cases. You will find face to face meetings with your attorney a valuable resource. If this proves unsuccessful, use the Internet to help you in your search. Do a search for “dog bite lawyers” and see what comes up. You may even find that there is a dog bite attorney in your area that you overlooked in your earlier search.
The cost of hiring dog bite lawyers is probably the main reason many dog bite injury victims do not seek help with their cases. This is a sad misunderstanding, because dog bite attorneys do not charge for their services upfront. They work on a commission basis, and are only paid when they win the case, which is not hard with a dog bite lawsuit. When the victim is paid, the lawyer is paid.
Choosing to handle the case on your own will actually end up costing you more than using a lawyer. If you do not have a lawyer, you will only receive ten to twenty percent of what is legally yours. That leaves eighty to ninety percent that you never see. The typical fee dog bite attorneys charge for dog bite injury cases is twenty-five to thirty-five percent. You still receive more money if you use the attorney than if you try to handle the case on your own.
The most obvious claim in a dog bite lawsuit is the damages from the injury. Your attorney will be able to help you in determining how best to represent your injuries. You should photograph the injuries as soon as the victim is medically stable. These photographs will be used in court as evidence, even if the court date is much later than the attack occurred.
You will be eligible to receive compensation for the medical treatment you face immediately after the attack. Also, if you are going to face serious scarring, the cosmetic surgery to repair the scars will be included in the settlement. One aspect of a dog bite injury that is often overlooked is the psychological trauma. Victims can receive compensation to cover counseling in the future. For example, children who are victims often experience an overwhelming fear of dogs after an attack.
Many victims are surprised to learn that they can be compensated for any income they lost due to the inability to work after the attack. Also, if clothes are torn or a part of your home is destroyed, these can be covered in the settlement. And the pain and suffering that does not have a monetary cost will also be compensated. Often, good dog bite attorneys will also win a bystander claim, which covers the psychological counseling for those who witness the shocking attack.
Because children do not always understand how to handle dogs properly, and because dogs often play too aggressively with children, many dog bite injury victims are young children. Dog bite lawyers need to handle cases with children carefully, because the emotional trauma faced by youngsters is much more potent than the trauma adults face. Dog bite attorneys take much of the stress of settling the claim off of the parents of the injured child.
When a child is severely injured, parents’ minds are on comforting and caring for their child. When they hire a dog bite attorney, they do not have to worry about the legal issues surrounding the attack. The attorney will work behind the scenes to gather the documentation and evidence for the settlement. The parents can be at the hospital with their child.
Some parents worry that the attorney will try to “get” the owner of the dog. Particularly if the dog is owned by a friend, the parents of the dog bite victim may not want aggressive action taken. The lawyer should represent the interests of the family. The family can get proper compensation for their damages without attacking the owner of the dog. Usually the dog does not have to be put down either. The compensations are paid by the insurance policy that the dog owner has for their home, so the victim’s family does not have to worry about ruining their friendship with the owners by asking for large sums of money.
Some dog bite injury victims are sent to a hearing called a “dangerous dog hearing.” This occurs when the dog is considered dangerous enough to possibly be put down, and is handled by the animal control department. Dog bite attorneys work with the victim to properly represent the case in a dangerous dog hearing.
If a dog bite victim is called to dangerous dog court, they should have their attorney with them. Dog bite lawyers know how to protect the victim’s rights in this hearing, as well as other courts of law. The attorney will also review all of the statutes and regulations in the city and state where the attack occurred before their client goes to dangerous dog court.
The purpose of dangerous dog court is not to protect the victim, but rather to determine what should be done with the animal involved in the attack. They often request medical records and testimony from the victim. Some dog bite victims may not want to participate in these proceedings. Dog bite attorneys will be able to show them whether or not they are required to attend, and what parts of their personal information law protects. Dangerous dog court is particularly confusing as it varies immensely from state to state.
Each state has its own unique dog bite injury laws. These differences are another reason to seek the advice of dog bite lawyers. The attorney will be well versed in the laws of the state where the attack occurred, and will be able to advise the victim of his rights.
The Statute of Limitations is one way that states vary in their dog bite injury legislation. The Statute of Limitations limits the amount of time that can pass between the attack and the filing of a lawsuit. Because of these laws, dog bite victims should see the help of an attorney as soon as possible after the dog bite occurs. Nothing would be quite as sad as a child not receiving compensation because the family waited too long to seek legal advice. The victim’s best interests lie in finding an attorney right away, rather than trying to determine how long they have under their state’s Statue of Limitations.
So, if you or someone you love is bitten by a dog, you need the help of a dog bite attorney. Find an attorney who specializes in dog bite injury cases, and enlist his help in getting you the money you are due. You need help understanding the legal haze surrounding dog bite lawsuits. Get help now, since the Statute of Limitations limits how long you can wait before filing for a dog bite lawsuit. Remember, not using an attorney will cost you much in the long run!