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Being bitten or attacked by a dog can be a traumatic and physically painful experience. You may need costly medical care and could end up with permanent scarring. The owner of the dog should be held responsible for your medical bills, pain, and suffering. However, in many cases, they will not want to take responsibility, or they may offer you a small sum of money to avoid making a report that will affect their homeowner’s insurance. For this reason, we recommend you contact an Atlanta dog bite lawyer right away to ensure your rights are protected.
Ali Awad, founder and managing attorney at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, has taken a tiny business to an 8-figure firm in three short years. It’s not surprising that his firm was voted the fastest-growing law firm in the United States, beating out 499 others in 2021. The CEO Lawyer has more than a million social media followers for his no-nonsense legal advice.
If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, don’t let the dog’s owner talk you out of reporting the incident. Instead, call Ali Awad for a no-obligation consultation of your case. The CEO Lawyer and his injury and accident attorney team work on a contingency basis, which means they don’t receive compensation unless you do. You have nothing to lose by calling (833) 254-2923 or contacting us online to discuss the details of your dog attack.
What Should You Do After A Dog Attack?
Understandably, most people are shaken up after a bite or lengthy attack by an aggressive dog. Once you finally get away from the dog or someone else manages to haul it off, it can be hard to think clearly. You may be in pain and probably bleeding. Of course, you should call 911 and request medical attention for your injuries. You should also file a police report so you have a record of the attack.
As you wait for the ambulance to arrive, look around for any witnesses. Ask if anyone knows who the dog’s owner is if they have not come forward. If the animal’s owner does show up to take responsibility, try to keep your conversation brief. Ask for their name, address, and homeowner’s insurance and make note of this information. If they refuse to give it to you, make a mental note of what the person looks like so they can be tracked down later. If the owner starts defending the dog or trying to blame you for the situation, don’t engage with them any further. Let your attorney handle the situation later.
The ideal outcome is for the dog’s owner to give you their insurance information so you can file a claim. This will allow you to recover compensation for your medical expenses, trauma, and other damages. Not surprisingly, many people don’t want their insurance company to know they have a dog that bites people, as that can raise their rates. Don’t be swayed if they offer to pay for your medical costs without involving the insurance company. You will have only their word that they intend to pay, and even if they do reimburse you for your medical care, you still may not get all the compensation you deserve. If the dog’s owner refuses to give you their insurance information, try to at least get their name and contact info so you can give it to your Atlanta dog bite attorney.
What If You Can’t Find the Dog’s Owner?
This is one of the biggest challenges in dog bite claims, especially if you’re bitten in a public place like a park or while walking down the street. If this happens, write down a description of the dog as soon as you can. Include a description of the collar if they’re wearing one (what color is it, did it look like they had tags, etc.). If the dog is still on the loose when the police arrive, they will probably call Animal Control, who will then attempt to capture the dog. Sometimes this isn’t possible if the animal has run off.
Does this mean you’re out of luck? Not necessarily. Keep the dog’s description you wrote down as well as the address where the attack happened. Also, write down any other people present who might be witnesses. Then call a dog bite attorney in Atlanta. In many cases, law firm investigators may be able to track down the dog and its owner. For example, an investigator might canvas the neighborhood, asking if anyone has seen a dog that looks like the one that bit you. Often they will eventually run into someone who says, “Yeah, that’s so-and-so’s dog,” or, “I think I saw a dog like that running into that house at the end of the street, you should check there.”
If investigators are able to find the dog’s owner, you may still be able to file a claim against them or their homeowner’s insurance.
How Long Do You Have to File a Claim After Being Bitten By a Dog?
The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Georgia is two years after the injury occurs, so you will need to file a claim in this time period. The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner you can collect compensation for your injuries.
What Kind of Compensation Can You Seek For a Dog Bite?
You can request compensation for the following:
- Your medical costs for treating the dog bite
- Any rehabilitation or therapy services you need
- Any other out-of-pocket expenses like bandages or wound cream
- Any property damage that occurred during the attack – for example, if your phone was damaged when the dog attacked you, then you could ask for compensation to repair or replace it
- Lost income if you had to take off work after your injury
- Pain and suffering, including mental distress
Comparative Negligence Laws and Dog Bites
Georgia is a “comparative negligence” state when it comes to personal injury claims. This most commonly comes up in conversations about car accidents, but it also applies in other situations, including dog bites. If you are found to be more than 49% at fault for your injuries, then the other party or their insurance company doesn’t have to pay any damages.
With auto accidents, victims and insurance companies often argue about who caused the accident. In a dog bite situation, the owner may claim that it’s your fault because you were provoking the animal in some way. Another possible situation of comparative negligence is if you were trespassing or ignored warning signs when you were bitten. The court might find that you were mostly at fault for being on the property in the first place. So if your neighbor has signs up that say, “Beware of dog,” and “No trespassing,” and a piece of your lawn furniture gets blown into their yard by the wind, it’s probably best not to get it yourself. Instead, try calling your neighbor and asking if they can bring it over, or if they can bring their dog inside long enough for you to get it. If you are given permission to enter their yard and the dog bites you, it is more likely the court will find the neighbor was at fault.
What If You Get Bitten By a Dog While Working On Someone’s Property?
This is a common situation. A worker goes to a customer’s house to repair an appliance, install a cable box, etc., and the customer’s dog bites or hurts them. Sometimes even friendly dogs can get over-enthusiastic, knocking over a newcomer. Other dogs may get aggressive and protective of their home when a stranger comes into it and may bite someone who is simply there to do a job. In this situation, you will usually have the option of filing for worker’s compensation since you were injured on the job. However, since the property belongs to a third party, you also have the option of filing a claim against the homeowner or their insurance. Your Atlanta attorney who handles dog bites can advise you on your options for your case.
The advice for “beware of dog” signs apply if you are sent to do work on someone’s property and arrive to find posted warning signs about their dog. It’s a good idea to call the customer, let them know you’ve arrived and saw the sign, and ask if they can restrain the dog so you can do your job safely.
What Will You Need to Prove Your Case?
You will need to prove that the dog bit you, that it belongs to the person you’re making a claim against, that you suffered injuries as a result, and that you have damages as the result of these injuries. Usually, your medical records and a police report are enough evidence to prove you were bitten by a dog.
However, the owner may claim that it wasn’t their dog, it was some other dog and isn’t their responsibility. In this case, it may help to have testimony from witnesses to the attack, if there were any. Your lawyer’s investigators may also interview neighbors and ask if they’ve witnessed this particular dog being aggressive before. Being able to establish that the dog has a history of aggression will be helpful to your case. For example, if a neighbor of the dog owner testifies that the dog bit them last year, or had a tendency to growl, snarl, or display other threatening behavior, that might help to support your claim. These strategies may also be helpful if you can prove it was the owner’s dog, but they claim you were at fault in some way. Your Atlanta attorney for dog bite cases will go over the evidence in your situation and help you build a strong case.
Followed by millions on social media, attorney Ali Awad delivers legal power to the people, and he works tirelessly to drive results for clients. Few people have the legal knowledge to pursue their own claim, but with the CEO Lawyer in their corner, they can take on insurance companies or negligent dog owners. Call us at (833) 254-2923 or contact us online today.