Of all animal attack personal injury claims, dog bites often make up the majority of cases. Dog bite attacks can be benign or incredibly severe. The range of injuries one may suffer in an animal attack case can be expansive. When a dog bite attack does occur, it’s important to follow certain steps to insure both your physical recovery and your ability to file a personal injury claim to recover damages, should the facts support a claim.
(Proving Negligence in Dog Bite Personal Injury Claims)
The first thing one should always do in any instance of injury suffered as the result of an animal attack is to seek swift medical attention. Even if the injuries you suffered don’t seem to be severe enough to warrant a personal injury claim, you should seek the opinion of a medical professional. They may believe your injuries to be more serious than you know. In that case, it’s important to seek medical attention at the first opportunity in an effort to recover adequately and to mitigate any future damages a claim may seek. A medical visit will also help to document and track injuries, medical diagnoses and medical expenses associated with your claim.
You will thank yourself later, should it become necessary to seek legal redress from the pet owner or other entity.
Once you have sought medical attention, it’s important to begin documenting the dog bite itself, the circumstances surrounding the incident and any possible evidence or witness testimony you can secure to support your claim.
For instance, taking photos of your injuries may be incredibly important to support the severity of injuries represented in your claim. It may also be helpful to take photos of the dog or animal in questions and location where the attack occurred. If the dog escaped a yard, for instance, having a photo of the location may help to show negligence on the part of the pet owner. Was there an open gate? Did the dog jump over a fence? How high was that fence? Is it reasonable to assume the owner would have known that the dog, based on its size and agility, could have jumped the fence? These are questions photos can help to resolve.
(Get the answers to common dog bite attack questions in our F.A.Q. on the subject)
Were you bitten in a dog park? If so, were there any witnesses? Exchanging contact information with anyone who saw the attack, can be very helpful in establishing the facts of your claim.
Seeking the counsel of a personal injury attorney with experience in pursuing dog bite claims is also crucial to the success of your case. Personal injury attorneys like those at Bizzieri Law Offices in Chicago offer a wealth of experience negotiating damages with insurers whose only aim is to limit the damages they may need to pay out.
Bizzieri Law Offices also offer expert investigative support for your claim to help determine answers to questions of animal ownership, neglect and liability and the potential damages to which you may be entitled in your case.
If you have questions about filling a personal injury claim surrounding a dog bite (or other animal attack), call our offices at 773.881.9000 and speak with an experienced attorney who can help file your claim and fight for the compensation you deserve, while you’re on the road to recovery.
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