I Was Bitten by a Dog – Now What?

Being bitten by a dog can be a traumatic experience. It can be terrifying while it’s happening, and you may wonder if you are going to be seriously injured or even killed. When it’s over, you may be worried that you have contracted some kind of infection from the dog. Depending on where you were bit or how bad the attack was, you might also have permanent scarring and even disfigurement.

You could have many medical bills after your dog bite, and you may even need to get therapy or rehabilitative treatment. You may be entitled to compensation for these expenses and for the pain and suffering of your experience. Talking to a personal injury attorney can help you understand your options.

If you plan to pursue legal action after your dog bite, here’s what you can expect to happen next:

Proving that the Dog’s Owner is Liable

To start, you will need to show that the dog’s owner is liable for the bite. Just being the owner of a dog that bit you doesn’t mean that the person is responsible for what happened. You have to show that the dog bit you while you were on public property or while you were lawfully on private property, such as after having been invited into the person’s home. You also have to show that the bite caused your injuries, which can be obvious in certain cases, but may not be in others, such as an infection that causes long-term health issues.

Your attorney will work to provide this evidence to prove that you have a claim against the owner. That will be the first step toward getting the compensation you deserve.

Showing How Much Your Case is Worth

Once you know you have a case, you and your attorney need to determine how much your case is worth. How much should you sue for to cover your medical bills, time lost from work, the pain and suffering you experienced, and other factors in the case?

Your attorney will work with medical professionals and other experts to determine what kind of care you will need and what long-term effects you will have, if any. Then your attorney will add up the cost of the medical care you have already received, as well as any other financial losses you have faced. Your attorney will come up with a number and will push for that.

How Long Will the Case Take?

Ideally, your attorney will be able to negotiate a settlement on your behalf within a few months. But few things ever happen as we hope. If the person’s insurance company fights your claim, you could be in for a long wait. Your case could have to go to trial, and it could be appealed. Depending on the factors in the case, it could take years to get a resolution.

There is no hard and fast answer about how long it will take to resolve your case. However, your personal injury attorney can give you a good idea of what to expect after reviewing the circumstances of your case. Things could still go faster or slower depending on how things play out, but your attorney can give you a good idea of what to expect.

Being bitten by a dog may not be as life-changing as becoming disabled in an auto accident, but it can still be a traumatizing experience and it can cause major injury. If you have been bitten by a dog, you should talk to a personal injury attorney to find out if you have a case. You may be entitled to compensation that can help you get the medical care you need and can providing some resolution to what you’ve experienced.

My AZ Lawyers can help. Our personal injury attorneys work with all kinds of personal injury cases, including dog bites. We have the experience and training to successfully negotiate a settlement to help you recover what you’ve lost after an attack. Contact us today to talk with a personal injury attorney and learn about your legal options for your dog bite. You don’t have to accept what happened; you can get the compensation you deserve.

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