Why You Need a Dog Bite Lawyer: Protecting Your Rights After an Attack

You might not think you’ll ever need to hire a dog bite lawyer, but dog bites are surprisingly much more common in the U.S. than people realize. According to the CDC, about 4.5 million Americans suffer dog bites each year, and about one in five people require medical attention for them.

Did someone else’s dog bite you recently? If so, you might still be dealing with the immense physical and emotional impact it can have. You might also wonder whether or not it’s worth hiring legal representation to seek financial compensation for the negligence demonstrated by a dog owner during your incident.

Below, find out why hiring a dog bite attorney to help file a personal injury lawsuit is a good idea.

Determining the Viability of Your Dog Bite Case

Although millions of Americans are bitten by dogs every year, not all of them are eligible to file dog bite lawsuits. A small percentage of dog bite cases contain the key components that make them strong enough for people to take legal action.

Each state takes a slightly different approach to how it handles dog bite cases when it comes to allowing people to file lawsuits. When you review the dog bite laws by state, you’ll find that states fall into one of two categories:

• Strict liability states
• One-bite states

In strict liability states, dog owners just about always take the blame for their dogs when they bite other people on public or private property when the bite victim is lawfully on it. Even if this dog has never bitten anyone before, its owner is still responsible for their actions if it bites someone for the first time. The only exception to this rule is that a dog owner won’t be liable for their dog biting someone if the victim provoked their pup or trespassed on their private property prior to being bitten.

In one-bite states, meanwhile, dog owners are only blamed for their dogs biting other people if they should have had reason to believe that their dog might attack someone. If, for example, a dog bit a person in the past or even showed aggression toward another person or animal, this is often enough for a dog bite lawyer to pin the blame for a bite on its owner.

When considering filing a dog bite lawsuit, a lawyer can review your case and the circumstances surrounding it to determine its viability. They can suggest whether you should seriously consider moving forward with a dog bite lawsuit.

Investigating Your Dog Bite Incident

Proving liability on the part of a dog owner when their dog bites someone is easier to do in strict liability states than in one-bite states. Still, a dog bite lawyer will need to work hard in both instances to prove that a dog owner should be blamed for their dog biting someone and must provide a victim with financial compensation.

When you hire a dog bite attorney, they can further investigate the incident you were involved in with a dog and try to uncover evidence to create a more compelling case on your behalf. They’ll take a closer look at:

• Whether a particular dog has bitten anyone in the past
• What led up to you suffering a dog bite
• Which injuries you reported after a dog bite
• How much medical treatment for a dog bite cost
• What impact a dog bite could have on you in the future

A dog bite lawyer will understand which types of evidence to collect during an investigation to build a factual and compelling case. They can also aim to locate witnesses to your attack who can testify in court if necessary.

Attempting To Negotiate a Dog Bite Lawsuit Settlement

The vast majority of dog bite and personal injury lawsuits don’t ever go to trial. More often than not, a personal injury lawyer will negotiate with the defendant’s legal representative and work toward agreeing to a settlement outside of court.

You might think you can negotiate with the defendant in your case to come to an agreement, but if the defendant is represented by their homeowners’ insurance company or another type of insurance company, you might find yourself overwhelmed by the pressure they attempt to put on you. Insurance adjusters are notoriously difficult to deal with, and you might make the mistake of accepting a lowball offer just to avoid having to negotiate with them any further.

Instead, rely on a dog bite lawyer to take care of the negotiations related to your lawsuit in pursuit of fair compensation for your injuries. Let them know what you would consider a reasonable settlement, and give them time to work on going back and forth with the legal representatives for the defendant in your case.

Taking a Dog Bite Case to Court

While many dog bite lawsuits are settled outside of court, there might come a time when the defendant in your case is no longer willing to negotiate a settlement. You might also choose to pull the plug on the settlement negotiation process after receiving one too many lowball offers.

If either of these scenarios happens, a dog bite attorney can end negotiations and take your case to court. Even though this will cause your lawsuit to drag out longer, it could help you lock down a larger judgment from a judge or jury. You can use any compensation you collect to pay off your legal fees before taking care of medical bills and other expenses stemming from a dog bite incident.

Allow Accident Hotline To Help You Hire the Right Dog Bite Lawyer in Your Area

Don’t let a dog bite and the medical bills that can come along with it derail your life. Seek help from support groups catering to dog bite victims. Count on Accident Hotline’s network of personal injury attorneys to help you find a dog bite lawyer. Reach out for accident support today.