When you’re bitten by a dog, especially when it’s a serious bite that has had a very real impact on your life and health, you are entitled to proper compensation.
However, just like with any other sort of legal situation, the steps you take after the incident can greatly impact your ability to effectively seek compensation.
Today, we’re going to go over some of the core practices you need to follow to protect your legal rights after a dog bite. Whether you’ve decided to take legal action, still need time to decide, or anything else, keeping your rights protected is crucial.
1. Always Seek Immediate Medical Attention
This is crucial. No matter what the situation is, you need to take action immediately and seek medical attention. Even if it’s a seemingly minor problem.
If the injury is serious, there’s an obvious reason to go. You’re probably suffering some fairly traumatic injuries that could result in surgery being necessary or emergency care.
However, small wounds that you might be tempted to brush off can lead to infections or even deadly diseases. The truth is, you don’t know for sure if the dog has been treated for serious diseases that can spread, if it has caught anything, etc. You need to get checked up to ensure you’re okay.
Beyond the need to ensure your safety, this is also necessary to establish an official record of any injuries that stemmed from the attack. This is crucial if you decide to take legal action, and it’s not something that you can do later without greatly sacrificing your ability to win the case.
2. Do Not Accept Guilt or Self-Blame
When the incident happens, the dog’s owner is liable to take one of two routes. Some people might get angry and try to blame you. If that happens, it’s fairly easy to follow this step. However, we like to think most people are fairly reasonable, and they’re likely to be very apologetic, stressed out, and in shock.
It’s tempting to try to sympathize with the other individual and minimize the situation. You might even try to take a little of the blame by simply saying “I was a little too close to your yard” or “I shouldn’t have petted the dog”.
Those little, seemingly innocent, phrases can ruin your case and cost you everything you’re legally entitled to. It’s a shame, but it happens in car accidents, work accidents, and similar types of cases all the time.
While you think you’re being sympathetic and easing the situation a bit, once money gets involved, the other party will use it against you. Speak minimally beyond the legally required information exchange, and never say anything that blames you.
3. Report the Accident Immediately
You can’t leave the accident, never report it, and then suddenly take someone to court. You’ll have a much weaker case. If you’re bitten by a dog, you should report the incident to the police right away.
Of course, this happens after any required medical care is received. Especially with emergency medical care that can have very serious consequences if you wait, but even if the injury is minor, you can always call to report the incident while you wait for treatment.
This is done for a similar reason to receiving medical treatment right away, even if the injury is minor. It creates an official record of events. Both you and the owner of the dog will get to tell your sides of the story, and they will be recorded just in case they’re needed.
This will also add a record to the local law enforcement database or potentially reveal a negative history with the dog and the owner that can strengthen your case later as a victim.
Now, unfortunately, many dog bites happen with dogs that you’re familiar with. Maybe it’s a family member’s dog when you’re visiting, a neighbor’s dog, or something along those lines. You might be tempted not to call the police to file a report or do anything that’s going to cause negative consequences for them, but we assure you that it’s crucial.
If you fail to follow through on these early steps, it can be used against you when you go to seek compensation. Not even by your loved one or neighbor, but by their insurance company.
4. Do Not Accept Settlements On Your Own
You are unlikely to be dealing directly with the opposing party when you’re seeking compensation for your injuries. Instead, the insurance company is going to be your main opposition.
The unfortunate part about dealing with an insurance company is, even if the other party is sympathetic and understands you deserve compensation, their insurance company will likely try to give you the lowest amount of money possible.
However, this low amount often seems like a good deal to the average person. After all, if you’re offered a few thousand dollars, that’s typically a large sum for most people.
Except, it’s a lowball offer designed to take advantage of that. You’re entitled to proper compensation that covers the damage you’ve sustained.
We highly recommend hiring a lawyer to deal with the insurance company. A lawyer will determine how much your case is worth, and they’ll fight to get you most or all of that value.
Read also: Do I Need Money to Hire an Injury Lawyer?
5. Meet All Deadlines and Fight Against Delays
Like we said, the insurance company will be a major factor. Well, beyond trying to deny a claim or pay as little as possible in a settlement.
One strategy is to delay your engagements with them over every detail possible until you run out of time to exercise your right to get paid.
Again, it’s best to avoid the hassle entirely and simply hire an attorney. A good dog bite lawyer has dealt with insurance companies countless times, and they can put a stop to the games.
Protect Your Rights After a Dog Bite with DeSalvo Law
Dog bite injuries can be painful, overwhelming, and legally complex, but you don’t have to face the aftermath on your own. At the Law Office of Scott D. DeSalvo, we’re committed to protecting your legal rights after a dog bite and securing the compensation you deserve.
In addition to dog bite cases, we also represent clients in car accidents and motorcycle accidents, work injuries, nursing home abuse, and more. No matter your situation, we’ll fight to get you the justice and financial recovery you need to move forward.
Contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step toward protecting your rights.
