A good dog can be an excellent companion, but an aggressive one can leave you with lifelong injuries and trauma. When you are attacked by a dog, you feel pain, confusion, and fear. The injuries may take a long time to heal and, in some cases, may lead to lifetime disfigurement. You could develop infections and need surgery. The emotional trauma is often as significant as the physical trauma. Since dogs are welcome in many public places, you may find yourself terrified to go out for fear you will face another attack.
The person who should have been responsible for keeping their dog from biting you is the one who should pay for your injuries. Sometimes, the owners come forward, do the right thing, and offer to cover your medical bills. Other times, the owners may deny owning the dog or responsibility for the injuries. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you track down the owner and prove they own the dog that caused your injuries. When insurance companies are involved, they may try to offer you a low settlement. Hiring a Richland dog bite lawyer means someone else can handle investigating and pursuing your claim so you can concentrate on healing.
There is no such thing as a little dog bite. Dog bites come with both the physical trauma from the bite and the risk of infection. The bacteria in dogs’ mouths that may be harmless or beneficial to dogs can lead to severe infections in humans.
Medical care is also essential for the physical trauma associated with a dog bite. In some instances, people will need medical intervention to fix that trauma. However, stitches or other types of surgery are not usually recommended immediately after a bite due to the increased risk of infection. So, medical care can be more involved than it would be for a similar size injury that was not the result of an animal bite.
Rabies is the most serious concern when it comes to infectious diseases from dog bites. While the likelihood of getting rabies from a pet dog is slim, it still exists. Identifying the dog lets a doctor or veterinarian examine its vaccination records or request that the animal be quarantined. When the dog is unidentified, the injured person may need to undergo preventative rabies vaccines. Not only is this treatment potentially painful, it is also costly. A Richland dog bite attorney can help ensure the dog’s owner pays for these medical treatments.
In some states, a dog must have a history of bites or other aggressive behavior to be considered dangerous. Per Washington Revised Code § 16.08, however, any dog that bites is dangerous when the bite occurs under specific circumstances. The injured party must be either in public or lawfully on the dog owner’s property. The owner can allege the injured person provoked the dog to avoid liability.
While dog bites are not quite a strict liability, state law shifts the burden to the dog owner to show that the bite was provoked, making it easier for injured people to recover damages after dog bites.
People who are injured by a dog bite can recover three types of damages with assistance from a dog bite lawyer in Richland. Economic damages repay them for financial losses such as medical bills and lost wages. Noneconomic damages repay them for non-financial losses such as trauma or pain and suffering. Punitive damages are meant to punish egregious behavior, but these are rarely available in dog bite cases.
Dog bite claims can be unexpectedly challenging. The injured parties often know the dog’s owner, and they may even be friends or family. You might think hiring an attorney is an aggressive move, but the dog owner’s insurance company will have attorneys representing them. Handing the issue to a Richland dog bite lawyer lets you preserve relationships while ensuring you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us at any time to schedule a consultation with a lawyer who is ready to win for you.