While we may love man’s best friend, that doesn’t mean that canines aren’t still wild animals somewhere at heart. A dog, whether provoked or not, can sometimes can fearful or vicious and attack.
What do you do if you’ve found yourself in this kind of situation? If you’ve been bitten by a dog that belongs to someone else, what should you do? Many people wonder if it is important to hire an attorney or not in this situation.
Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know about dog bites and the law.
Legal Rights Following a Dog Bite
If you got bit by a dog and are interested in taking legal action, you’ll first want to understand your legal rights. In many states, there are strict liability laws in place that require dog owners to be fully responsible for their canines.
There are some states where the liability is less thorough. For example, in some states dog owners are only liable for injuries that occurred if they had failed to exercise reasonable care. For example, letting a dog roam free off a leash.
In order to understand your legal options, you’ll want to look into the dog laws in your state. A lawyer can help you understand what these are and present options from there.
You’ll also want to understand how your own actions might have an impact on what you can do in court. A dog owner will not get held liable if you’ve provoked the dog in some manner or were trespassing.
Hiring an Attorney
If you’ve been bitten by a dog, you need to act fast to secure the compensation that you have a right to under the law. The statute of limitations for this kind of injury varies state by state.
An experienced attorney will make sure that your case proceeds according to plan. They will also be knowledgeable about what kind of evidence is needed to present your case in the best light. Last but not least, they’ll have a knowledge of how much your case is actually worth.
Those without legal experience run the risk of low-balling their own settlement figures. This might leave you with less money than you actually need or deserve down the line. You might be left facing further medical complications on your own.
An attorney can help prevent this from happening. As you can see here, there are many benefits an attorney can provide during this difficult predicament. Hiring someone to handle your case can help make sure you make it out the other side in good shape.
If You’ve Been Bitten By a Dog
Getting bitten by a dog can be terrifying and painful. If you’ve suffered through this experience, it’s important to hire an attorney to get the compensation you deserve. The above information outlines why.
Need more legal advice and info? Keep scrolling our blog for more.