You might have recently suffered a frightening dog attack, and you’re wondering if you should take legal action against the owner. If the dog bite led to you needing medical help, then you definitely need to hire a dog bite injury attorney as soon as possible. There’s no reason you should have to pay for any expenses related to the attack when it wasn’t even your fault to begin with.
The dog bite attack attorneys with Sand Law are ready to help if you find yourself in this unfortunate situation. Our team of legal experts has a great deal of experience in cases similar to yours, and we help our clients obtain full and fair compensation on a regular basis. See what we may be able to do for you by contacting us online or giving us a call at 701-609-1510.
The following are some questions you should ask yourself if you’ve been bitten by a dog. If you can answer “Yes” to any of them, contact an attorney as soon as you can.
Are Your Injuries Severe?
A dog bite can result in an incredibly serious injury that can require years of treatment – and can lead to permanent damage. But even if your bite was relatively minor, and you had to get medical attention, you should still consider filing a lawsuit against the owner.
These are a few of the more common severe injuries that can result from an animal attack.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) – When a dog attacks a person, the victim will often fall while either running away or trying to fend off the animal. Their head can easily strike a hard surface, such as a sidewalk or a floor, and suffer a TBI in the process. This injury can be so severe that the victim will no longer be able to take care of the basic things the rest of us take for granted every day.
- Broken bones – It’s almost incredible how strong a dog’s jaws can be. When these jaws latch onto an arm or even a leg, that can result in crushed bones, as well as torn ligaments and muscles. Recovery from these kinds of injuries can take months or even years.
- Disfigurement – A dog will bite whatever part of the body it can access – even the face. This, of course, can lead to permanent disfigurement, as well as the need for extensive reconstructive surgery.
Is Someone Else at Fault for Your Injuries?
Unless someone purposely provokes a dog into attacking them, the vast majority of the time, the owner of the animal is responsible for that attack. But there could be instances where someone else was to blame. One of the most important aspects of a dog bite case is determining who was at fault. This could be one of the following:
- The owner of the dog – When a dog owner is negligent, the chances of an attack rise significantly. There could, for example, have been a hole in the owner’s fence that was big enough for the animal to get through. Owners must know if their dog is a danger to others. If so, they must take whatever steps are needed to keep that animal away from others. When they fail to take those steps, they could be held responsible for any injuries their dog may cause.
- A person who is taking care of the dog – If the owner is out of town, they may have entrusted the care of their dog to a friend, a neighbor, or a family member. They might have hired a professional dog sitter. If the person caring for the animal was negligent and the dog attacked, they could face liability.
- A person who was walking the dog – There are lots of dog walking services out there. The people who work for these companies must receive proper training to keep anyone near the dog safe. An employee could be held liable for an attack, as could the dog walking company.
Do You Have Evidence to Support Your Claim?
It really doesn’t matter how convinced you are that someone else is to blame for the dog attack that you experienced. You need to have solid proof to back up that belief. You’re not going to be able to obtain a penny in compensation if you don’t.
This is the biggest reason to contact an experienced attorney as soon as you can. Your legal representative will begin a detailed investigation to gather the evidence it takes. If, for example, the attack occurred in a neighborhood, the homeowner’s home surveillance system might have footage. If it happened in a public place, there are likely witnesses who saw what happened. There was probably some sort of security camera nearby as well.
An attorney will be able to request that footage and interview those witnesses. They’ll take whatever other steps might be necessary to obtain the proof you need.
Have You Incurred Damages as a Result of Your Injury?
This is another huge reason to hire a lawyer. Once you were bitten, you probably had to go to the doctor – which obviously isn’t free. You might have been hurt so badly that you haven’t been able to work. By now, you may be losing your salary because you’ve exhausted your personal days.
These and other monetary losses are known as damages. You’ll be filing a lawsuit in order to recover those damages. Your only possible chance of doing that will be by hiring an attorney.
Has the Dog Bite Injury Resulted in a Change to Your Quality of Life?
You might not be able to enjoy the activities you loved prior to being injured due to the dog attack. You might need the help of others to do basic things such as making your meals or taking a shower. If your quality of life has been impacted, you’ll need an attorney to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Contact Sand Law and Hire a Dog Bite Injury Attorney ASAP After Your Accident
A Sand Law attorney is ready to show you how we may be able to help you get that compensation. Schedule a free consultation by contacting us online or calling 701-609-1510.