A dog bite ordeal is a painful and traumatic experience. Most dog bites leave the victim with serious injuries like permanent scarring, disfigurement, disabilities, plus psychological problems. These injuries can even lead to death and are highly magnified when a child is involved. Unlike other lawsuits like personal injury lawsuits, the law around dog bites is confusing due to the complexities that only a dog bite lawyer can understand.
Experienced dog bite attorneys from Keating Firm Law are better positioned to help a victim recover compensation. They know every dog bite law, which makes them persuasive and compelling to ensure a complainant gets the compensation they are entitled to. Therefore, complainants thinking of filing dog bites lawsuits in New Albany can schedule a free consultation with a dog bite lawyer to determine their legal options.
Varying State Dog Bite Laws
Different states have varying dog bite laws. Some states follow the basic negligence standard, which holds the pet owners accountable and liable for their negligent behavior that allowed their dog to bite another person. On the other hand, some states follow a strict liability rule that holds pet owners liable when their dog bites another person regardless of whether there was negligence or the owner was fully exercising care.
Another approach most states use to hold owners liable is if they previously knew that their dog had biting tendencies. This approach is popularly known as the one-bite rule. Other states take some elements of rules from each of the three laws.
In New Albany, Ohio, the dog bite law follows the Ohio State law that permits the dog bite victims to seek damages relating to a particular animal attack. They are, however, strictly liable for medical expenses. If the pet owner knew their dog could bite, they might be susceptible to other damages. It’s best for dog bite victims to contact dog bite lawyers from Keating Firm Law right away to pursue a dog bite claim.
The Ohio laws, however, have limitations on presenting a claim. It is usually three years. Moreover, the victim has three years from the date of the injury to represent a lawsuit to court against the dog owner’s negligence in trying to prevent the dog attack.
It’s, however, important for victims to have the claim process rolling earlier on. In most cases, the victims will file a claim with the dog owner’s homeowner insurance or commercial property insurance carrier to seek compensation. However, it would be more difficult for the victim to gather evidence and secure witness statements as time goes by.
If the victim fails to file a lawsuit within the statute of limitations, chances are that the victim will miss out on the opportunity to recover their compensation, keeping in mind how rare the court grants extensions.
What Injuries Can One Sustain from a Dog Attack?
There are various dog bite injuries that one can sustain from a dog attack. At times, the injuries leave permanent disfigurement, scarring, or even death. Here are some highlights of dog bite injuries:
Dog bite injuries that require reconstructive surgery to repair
Rabies exposure
Infection relating to dog bite
Broken bones
Traumatic brain injury
Correcting any of the above dog bite injuries may require a lot of money that the victim may not have. Therefore, victims must file a personal injury claim to get their rightful compensation and medical coverage for all the damages caused.
What to Do After a Dog Bite Attack
A victim's actions after an animal attack are crucial for their health and legal standpoint. The following are some crucial steps victims must take after an attack:
Medical Treatment
A victim needs to seek medical treatment for any dog bite injuries. Injuries involving punctured wounds or more fatal injuries require immediate medical attention. Some dogs are not vaccinated for rabies, and an open wound is prone to infection. Getting immediate medical attention will reduce the chances of such occurrences getting worse. Before the medical practitioner treats the open wound, the victim must take pictures of the wound to have evidence of the gravity of the injury.
Information Exchange
A victim must get the contact information of a dog owner. It’s more similar to a car accident where the two parties must contact each other after the incident. The dog bite victim must contact the dog owner to verify the dog's vaccination history. Information victims should seek include the dog owner’s name, address, contact information, and breed of the dog.
Witnesses
Victims of dog bites must gather the information to help them secure compensation. Witness statements from people who watched the ordeal are easily important - as most lawsuits require the dog bite victim to show evidence that back up their claims. Therefore, dog bite victims should take the contact information of witnesses, just in case they are needed to narrate how the event unfolded.
Calling Animal Control
Victims sustaining a dog bite injury must call animal control. The process is done to report the dog bite case - it also helps curb future dog bite incidents. Plus, their investigation of the incident may help the victim's case.
Generally, the steps will facilitate the process of getting fair compensation later on.
Documenting the Dog Bite
In addition to the steps above, victims of a dog bite must also document the injury and the recovery process. The injured party must document any injury associated with the bite. What should be documented? Visible injuries and documented injuries like pain and suffering, decreased mobility, and inability to do certain functions.
Documentation can be done in various forms, namely photos, journaling entries of the injuries, medical reports, and other written records. Moreover, after a dog bite, the victim must write down the circumstances and events surrounding the dog bite. The victim needs to be very detailed here by writing down all information they can remember. They should do this earlier on when their memory is still fresh.
Pursuing Dog Bite Claim
The first step to pursuing this claim is scheduling a free consultation with dog bite lawyers who will review the victim’s information to determine if they have a dog bite case. If the Columbus dog bite attorney finds that the victim has a case, they will do a free exploration investigation. The two parties will sign a fee agreement to make the attorney-client relationship official.
A dog bite lawyer will then start working on the victims of dog bites. They’ll identify and locate the dog owner and determine if there is negligence on the dog owner's part. Finding out if a dog owner has a dangerous dog that can attack and bite people is enough grounds to seek monetary compensation.
Dog owners have the responsibility of controlling their pets. If they’re not doing their part, it increases the chances of dog mauling and scarring for victims. Dog bite lawyers can deal with the dog owner's insurance company to seek a settlement. The settlement will majorly secure medical treatment for rehabilitation. Working with dog bite lawyers from Keating Firm Law assures victims of a dog bite of the best outcomes.
Why Hire Dog Bite Attorneys?
Dog bite lawyers from Keating Firm Law in New Albany can help victims file and secure the compensation that a dog bite victim is entitled to by holding dog owners accountable for dog bite liability. A dog bite attorney has extensive experience handling dog bite insurance claims, lawsuits, and settlements. They’re well-versed in getting accurate amounts of compensation a dog bite victim should receive.
These amounts always circle around detailed calculations for lost wages, medical costs, and pain and suffering, among other expenses. Dog bite lawyers have the proper knowledge that helps them assess the likelihood of a claim’s success based on the New Albany dog bite state laws and the final verdict of cases similar to their clients.
Lastly, dog bite attorneys are instrumental in handling the other party’s insurance company and the negotiation process for settlement. Most insurance companies are known to lure victims into accepting a low settlement. Dog bite attorneys know their tactics and can easily shy away from the unfair settlement. They have top-notch negotiation skills that also assure victims of the best compensation from the insurance.
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Victims Should Explore their Legal Options With Keating Firm Law
Knowing what to do right after a dog bite will allow dog bite victims to get the care they need and the legal outcome they deserve. However, the process can get confusing and complex, especially if the victim has no idea about state dog bite laws. This is where the dog bite attorneys come in for help. They know which laws apply to the victim's situation, the type of compensation the victim is likely to get, and the likelihood of attaining a fair settlement.
Working with dog bite attorneys increases the chances of getting a fruitful outcome. Therefore, victims from New Albany should seize the opportunity and schedule a free consultation with the best lawyers from Keating Firm Law.