What legal actions should you take in case of a dog bite?

Dogs are lovely animals. Almost everyone loves them. Often, people find a best friend in their pet dog. Due to the friendly and caring nature of the dog, many have dogs as pets, guard dogs or as part of medical treatment or assistance known as a service dog.

Nevertheless, there are times when these lovely furry creatures can cause injuries to humans. In every one of these cases, the dogs itself cannot be held responsible, because they are just innocent creatures. The ones that can effectively be held responsible are either the animal’s owner or a negligent victim or one victim that was daring, reckless and was provoking the animal into aggression.

Either way, when this happens, a legal battle has started between the two parties. Dog bite victims are often advised to get in contact with a Dog Bite Victim Attorney so that they can go through the process of confronting the dog owner successfully; with the compensation, they deserve for the trauma they were inflicted.

Why is it so common to see these types of Attorney services being offered? 

The fact is that dog biting is a dangerous phenomenon. Dog bites or attacks are a very common incident in the United States. More than 4 and a half million dog bites and attacks happen every year in the States. And due to the fact that this country has a very varied landscape, every event becomes as unique as it gets. Not only that, the United States is known for having a varied set of regulations and laws in every one of its states. These regulations can either benefit or be a nuisance for either victims or owners according to the circumstances of the incident.

This set of reasons are the explanation to why it is often encouraged that people, whether they be dog owners or victims, hire an Attorney that is experienced in Dog Bite Cases. They will guide either the owner or the victim through the case accordingly as there are many variables in each particular situation.

Dog bite victims can suffer many traumas during and after a dog attack.

-They can endure physical trauma because of the bites or scratches the dog gave them during the attack.

-They can end up with scars, some of them visible and lifelong.

-They can be left with psychological trauma after the bite, often fearing harmless dogs that they see on the street or being untrusting of some otherwise very lovable creatures.

-Some more serious injuries, such as those inflicted on the face, can end up as disfiguring scars that can further traumatize the victim and cause serious self-esteem issues.

-Plastic surgery to solve the previous problem is a problem in itself because a procedure like this is expensive and traumatic.

-Medical expenses can become indebting and overwhelming to victims over time. This includes therapy related to solving PTSD symptoms associated with the attack.

Remember that dog teeth are very pointy and can cause serious injuries such as cuts, lacerations, blood loss, infections, fractures, mutilations, and visible scars. A dog attack is nothing to be taken lightly and preventing them is a priority to most reasonable communities.

How the law deems the owners responsible for their dog biting or attacking

In some places such as California or even Arizona, a person that owns a dog are deemed to be liable for any injuries their pet causes to other people. This is called strict liaison, and it means that the victim doesn’t have to seek for evidence that the animal that attacked them was perceived as dangerous before the attack, or that it has bitten other people previously. Generally, if the victims were not trespassing and didn’t provoke the animal, they can get compensation from the injuries inflicted.

However, there are exceptions to the previous rule. And having to deal with the insurance company of the owner, later on, make things more difficult.  This is another reason to hire a dog bite attorney, and they know how to deal with the insurance companies and settle a just amount of compensation for their clients.

Additionally, if the dog owner is a responsible person, the attorney can deal directly with the insurance companies and many time get your case settled without a lawsuit being filed in court.