Why you should sue for a dog bite
Children are the main victims of dog bites in the United States. That doesn’t mean that you’re spared as an adult. There occasions that will necessitate filing a lawsuit for a dog bite. You might have suffered severe injuries and there is also the potential of getting a disease. If you’re in such a predicament, you should start by looking for NYC Personal Injury Lawyers. There is a high chance that such a case will be taken to the small claims court. The dog might have been a nuisance to the neighborhood and you don’t want to risk your children getting bitten.
It should be noted that most dog bites cases will never go to court. They’re usually settled between the dog owner and the injured person. There are circumstances where the insurance company will be involved.
It can be time-consuming should the case go to trial. This is where the small courts come in. In most states, you could sue up to $10,000 for a dog bite case. You just need to make sure you’re working with an experienced attorney for the case.
There are different kinds of compensations for dog bites. What you get will ultimately depend on the severity of the injury and how much you’ve negotiated with the dog owner. The damages will take the following into account:
- Lost wages for the time that you had to take off from work
- Past, present, and future medical expenses that will have been caused by a dog bite.
- The cost of hiring someone to do the household duties and other things that you were able to do before the dog bite
- Disfigurement or permanent disability because of bites from the dog
- Any other costs incurred because of the dog bites
Settling the Claim
Before the case can go to court, you will have the opportunity to settle with the dog owner. You should involve an attorney in the process as you want to make sure you’re getting the compensation that you deserve. There are several advantages of settling the case outside court. You don’t have to go to trial which could take a lot of time and resources. You can get the money a lot quicker which can be used to settle the medical expenses. You’re also likely to be charged less by the attorney compared to when the case goes to trial.
You might receive less money than you’re supposed to if you don’t involve in the attorney process. The dog owner will obviously not want the case to go to trial because of the legal implications on his end.
Choosing a Strategy
There is a chance that the case could go to trial and you want to be prepared nevertheless. You should start by establishing if your state has a statute of limitation for dog bites. If it doesn’t apply, you can decide to file a lawsuit under the common law. For you to win the case under common law, you must prove that the owner of the dog knew that it was a potential threat and did nothing to prevent the bites. The other option would be to prove that the dog owner was negligible. This is only recommended when there is no statute to sue under which is common in some states.
Preparing for Court
When everything fails during the negotiation, you will have no other option but to prepare for court. A witness will be ideal for such a case because there is not a lot of evidence the court will be presented with other than the signs of physical injuries.
Looking for an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Dog bites fall under personal injury law. This means you will have to look for a personal injury attorney for such a case. While you will want to avoid going to trial, you will still want to be prepared just in case.
Working with an attorney with courtroom experience will always come in handy. During the negotiation, they will make sure that you’re getting the best deal after putting all the factors we’ve mentioned into consideration.
You don’t have to suffer in silence when you’ve been bitten by a dog. You might think it is embarrassing but the dog owner should face the consequences so that it doesn’t happen again. It could be your kids who are the next victims of the attack. Don’t wait for things to get worse before you can act. You deserve to be compensated for the dog bite.
