What To Do Right After a Dog Bite
Serious dog bites are a regular occurrence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost two percent of Americans are bitten by a dog every year.
If you were bit by a dog, you should consider obtaining a
dog bite attorney and subsequently take legal action against the dog's owner. This will hopefully lead to compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and any potential economic losses. But, you need to be prepared for what to do immediately after the incident. In the hours and days following a dog bite incident, it is important to understand the steps you need to take to ensure good health and the protection of your legal rights.
If you were bit by a dog, the first thing you need to do is identify the animal. If it is a stray that ends up running from the scene, you may need to get painful rabbis shots. If the dog has an owner (preferably present at the time), get their name and address.
Try your best to take photos of your wounds and bloody clothing. In this technological age, it’s likely that your cell phone has a built in camera, so it’s not like you have to be carrying around a stand-alone camera all the time.
After you have done your best to identify the dog that bit you, and have photographed the evidence, it is time to seek medical treatment. After you have received medical treatment, it is important that you contact a dog bite attorney to file a lawsuit. These are
personal injury attorneys who specialize in the all-to-common occurrence of dog bites.
Lastly, be prepared to get a call from the dog owner’s insurance company. Don’t fret, this is a good thing. It means that if they are found guilty, you have the ability to recover damages from the guilty party. If you do get a call from the insurance company, don’t be passive. Ask them questions for your own records. Obtain the following information:
- The name of the insurance company
- The company's office address
- Telephone number
- Claim number
- Name of the insured dog owner
- How much money is available to pay your medical expenses
The laws governing dog bites vary from state to state. But there are general safety precautions that all dog owners must take to avoid potential lawsuits. If you follow these rules after a dog bite incident, and you obtain a competent dog bite attorney, you are giving yourself the best possible chance to recover monetary damages.