Some dog bites can get out of hand and result in serious injuries that may end up costing you a lot. They can hurt you physically, while also causing you a lot of emotional distress due to the pain and long medical bills, so, if a dog has bitten you, you deserve to get compensated by the owner, and here are a few things you can do if you find yourself in such a situation.
Get Immediate Medical Attention
The first thing that you should do after you get bitten by a dog is to go to the doctor and get yourself checked immediately. Your health is of utmost importance, so get a check-up even if the bite is small, as even the smallest bites can lead to problems like infections, damage to nerves, or some other long-term complications in which you do not want to get stuck. Going to the doctor also ensures that you have a physical record, which can be used as evidence in court if the need arises.
Identify the Dog and Its Owner
Then, you need to identify the dog and to whom it belongs, for which you can check the dog’s collar or ask around in the neighborhood to find out who the dog belongs to, and then get detailed information about the dog owner, like their name and contact information, and you should also ask about the dog’s vaccination history so that you can have a clear picture of how much medical attention you need.
Report the Incident
After you have been bitten, make sure that you report the incident to all local authorities or animal control. That is a necessary step as this will assert everyone else and ensure their safety. Secondly, it leaves a legal record that you can show when required, with all things like the aggressiveness levels of the dog documented.
Document Your Injuries and Expenses
An important aspect of making a dog bite claim is to record everything. The more evidence that you have, the stronger your case will be, so leave no stone unturned and try to find out as much evidence as you can. Take pictures of everything, like your injury, immediately after the incident, and as the injury progresses. Keep your medical records with you, as well as your prescriptions, so that you can be compensated for them. From the scene, take pictures of everything, like any blood stains on the road, or anything that you fell into because of the dog. If there were any people present at the scene, get their testimonials as witness statements carry a lot of weight, and if you can get a CCTV recording of the whole incident, it could be even better. If you cannot go to work because of injury and have a loss of income, make a record of that too, so that you can be suitably compensated for it.
Understand Dog Bite Laws
There are some things that you need to know about the law in your state before you file a case so that you can be rightfully compensated, and since a lot of states have different laws, make sure that you know them well. For example, you do not have unlimited time to file a lawsuit after you have been bitten, but only a given amount of time, which can vary according to your state.
Work With an Experienced Attorney
Working with an attorney who has experience also adds to your case, as just any attorney might not be able to help you as much as an attorney with a lot of experience, especially in dog bite cases. Specialized lawyers, such as expert dog bite lawyers in MA, know the rules and laws of their state and can help you gather evidence and be fully compensated for the dog bite. They can help you get compensated for medical bills, any sort of emotional and physical distress that you went through, as well as your lost income or long-term disability.
Conclusion
A dog bite, especially of an aggressive and big dog, may lead to life-changing or even threatening consequences, so after you have gotten your medical check-up done, look for sufficient evidence and make your claim against the dog owner so that you are fairly compensated for all the distress that you went through.
