If a Dog Attacks You, Bite Back with a Dog Bite Attorney
By Jeffrey H Penneys
You’ve been bitten by a dog. This is not the time “let it go.” It’s the time to be assertive and to defend your rights. Remember, dog attacks can have serious long and short-term consequences, including medical bills, loss of wages, physical scarring, emotional trauma, and more. You should contact a local dog bite attorney immediately when you’re bitten, even if that dog is owned by a neighbor or acquaintance that you respect or like.
The insurance company is typically the entity that pays for dog attack settlements, not the dog owner, so don’t worry about costing your neighbors, family, or friends money. Someone will be held responsible for your incurred medical bills (always seek medical attention if you’re bitten by an animal), so either the dog owner will need to offer to pay, or you need an attorney to help you recover damages. “Damages,” is the term personal injury lawyers use with regard to compensation for physical and non-physical compensation to injury victims.
You should be aware that the initial medical bills are seldom the only the medical related bills that are involved. So even if a well-meaning dog owner offers to pay for the initial doctor or emergency room visit, they may not be aware of how much the actual costs could ultimately become. It is better to hire a dog bite lawyer to handle the situation. Such costs include FUTURE medical expenses, to correct scarring for example.
Why Rely on a Dog Bite Attorney?
Stay out of trouble yourself by reporting your dog attack if the owner seems unreliable. Some animal control agencies will let you make an anonymous complaint, while other require your information, which can then be obtained by the dog owner.
A quick call to an attorney will usually be enough to determine if you have a good case for a claim. If the dog attack occurred during play time with a dog, or when you were otherwise engaging it, this is probably not a good case; but if you were not engaging the dog when it attacked you, your claim is more likely to be actionable.
You most likely cannot count on the dog owner getting their insurance company involved in a serious incident. Insurance companies will not usually be very kind to you. They will try to get you to sign away your rights with an aggressive approach.
More Than Just Physical Injuries
Remember, the physical is only one aspect of these types of cases. Many victims recoil in fear for the rest of their lives if they see a dog running, or jumping near them. This condition can be seem very similar to PTSD, and professional psychological help may be required to alleviate the symptoms.
Clients are always relieved after I take their case and redirect the stress of decision-making and negotiation from them to me.
To discuss your dog bite case with a compassionate Philadelphia dog bite attorney at no cost or obligation to you, Jeffrey Harlan Penneys is the one to call at 1-800-465-8795 (1-800-injury-law).