When a dog bites, the resulting injuries can leave a victim with a long recovery journey ahead — and the medical bills to show for it. Victims can recover their losses from the owner, provided they are able to prove negligence.
Every state approaches dog bite incidents differently, so state law heavily impacts how a case will play out. Georgia follows a modified one-bite law, which states that owners are liable for a dog bite if they know the dog is vicious or are handling the animal carelessly.
Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, has represented hundreds of dog bite victims through their recovery, and our team is standing by to help you, too. Our services can help make the litigation process easier to manage, helping you stay informed and prepared every step of the way.
An attorney acts as your ally throughout the claim process, with the main objective of maximizing their chances of damage recovery. Protecting your best interests as a victim, our team at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm is ready to help you achieve results, as we have over a 99% success rate advocating for our clients.
If you have been injured during an encounter with someone’s pet, a Lawrenceville dog bite attorney like the CEO Lawyer can help. Your initial consultation comes at no cost and leaves you with no obligation to commit to our services.
We’ll help you understand what the legal process looks like in Georgia, review the unique details of your case, and offer you a chance to ask any pressing questions. To schedule a free initial case review, call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online today.
Get Help From a Lawrenceville Dog Bite Attorney
It isn’t uncommon for a man’s best friend to become a foe. In fact, dog bite injuries are frequently treated in the U.S., with almost 1 million cases requiring medical attention. Moreover, 3 out of 5 dog bites are reported from animals that the victim knew.
Dog bite incidents can have a lasting impact on families; nearly 50% of reported dog bite accidents injure children under 14. A pet owner is responsible for their animal’s behavior and is expected to train them to socialize safely with other humans.
An encounter with a vicious dog can be traumatizing, leaving the victim with lasting injuries, scars, debts, and new expenses. Building a case for a settlement claim will only add more stress to the victim’s shoulders.
An attorney can provide the relief one needs in order to focus on what really matters: healing. Advocating for yourself may not be the easiest task, especially with limitations from enduring a serious injury.
An attorney can maximize your chances of success in recovering all damages suffered. With the experience, knowledge, and resources of a lawyer on your side, you can move through the steps of litigation confidently.
The team at CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm can oversee the steps of your claim and help you recover as much as possible for your claim, providing benefits that include the following:
- Organizing all collected documentation: When you walk through any type of litigation process, you’ll collect a mountain of paperwork along the way. Having an attorney to make sense of the documents, organize them, and help fill any new ones out appropriately makes the process move smoothly. Having an attorney to manage this task alone can save a victim valuable time and energy.
- Managing communication with all outside parties: As the legal process unfolds, there will be instances where the victim may need to communicate with another party regarding the accident. Instead of wasting your own time recounting the same statement and sitting through drawn-out explanations that spin you in circles, let an attorney handle communication with all outside parties. A lawyer can relay important information back to the client without having you sacrifice chunks of your own day for phone calls and emails.
- Helping you understand the laws, regulations, and best practices around your case: Each state has its own laws and regulations on dog bites and how a victim can be compensated for their injuries and related expenses. The fine print of these laws can be difficult to unpack on your own, especially when there is a sea of information out there that can mislead victims. An attorney will walk you through what your litigation process may look like, offer you the chance to ask any questions, and clear up any misunderstandings about what’s ahead.
- Investigating your accident, including a thorough evaluation of claims of negligence: Revisiting the details of your accident while you piece together your claim can do more harm than good, specifically when you don’t know what you are searching for. An attorney will review any claim of negligence, play out the details, and assess what this information means for you as a victim.
- Negotiating on your behalf: Generally, one of the most unnerving aspects of the litigation process is negotiating the final settlement. How do you know what the magic number is? Better yet, how do you support it through discussions? By using all of the information collected from working on your case, an attorney can formulate a settlement number with you and fight for recovery during negotiations. An attorney will keep you informed, educate you on the basis behind their recommendations, and guide you through any hiccups that arise.
Georgia Dog Bite Laws
Georgia state law follows what is considered a modified one-bite rule. This system means that, in many situations, dog owners are not responsible for a bite that occurs if there was no evidence prior to the attack that suggested that the dog was violent.
A Georgia dog owner becomes liable for a dog bite when the dog has proven to be vicious in the past, and the owner should reasonably have known to keep said animal away from the public.
This does not mean that pet owners can neglect to train, leash, or otherwise properly care for a dog simply because they assume they may or may not be liable. The perception of viciousness in a dog is granted automatically in cases where the dog was uncontained, allowed to roam free, or was generally left unsupervised.
There are some exceptions that will exempt a dog from judgment after an attack, including:
- Being a working dog (police, military, etc)
- One protecting private property from trespassers
Common Injuries From Dog Bite Accidents
A dog bite incident can result in many different types of injuries, varying in severity. A dog bite can do considerable damage to tissue and nerves, which can lead to lasting reminders of the attack, like scars and numbness.
Every incident will look different, but many injuries are more commonly reported than others.
After enduring a dog bite attack, it is critical to receive immediate medical attention; dog bites are easily infected wounds due to the nature of an animal’s saliva and germs packing into the puncture or laceration. This is one of many injuries that can get exponentially worse if left untreated by a professional.
Rabies is also a top concern that medical professionals are prepared to see in dog bite incidents. This disease is brutal on the body and nearly always results in death once symptoms begin to show.
A series of shots can prevent the infection from taking hold in the body, however, so if the dog’s vaccination status is unknown, it’s often the right call to go ahead and get these injections before the disease progresses.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry; a medical professional can analyze the state of the victim’s injuries and, after going through the details of the accident, can put together a productive treatment plan.
Some of the most commonly reported injuries that medical professionals see when tending to dog bite accidents include:
- Puncture wounds
- Hand injuries
- Face injuries
- Avulsions
- Nerve damage
- Rabies, tetanus, and other diseases
Georgia’s Responsible Dog Owner Act
Georgia’s Responsible Dog Owner Act was enacted in 2012 with the intention of expanding on the current statute. The goal is to protect Georgia residents and their animals from dangerous or vicious dogs from attacking the community.
A dog can receive two different classifications: dangerous and vicious.
A dangerous dog is classified as a canine that poses a threat to attack, has attacked and left a substantial puncture wound but no serious injury, or has killed another animal off of the owner’s property. A vicious dog causes serious injury in an attack or inflicts injury while the person is attempting to escape an attack.
Both classifications require the dog to receive a certificate and follow limitations and restrictions on their ability to come in contact with the outside world. Failure to comply with these state rules may result in the confiscation or euthanization of the animal.
Injured By an Aggressive Dog? Contact a Lawrenceville Dog Bite Law Firm Today
A dog can go from friendly to violent in an instant. Sometimes, dog bites are completely unexplainable, but the bills still need to be paid.
When a dog bites a person, the owner is liable for the resulting damages following evidence to prove viciousness or carelessness. Dog bite claims can be particularly sensitive, as many people have or develop new fears revolving around canines after such an experience.
A personal injury attorney can take the major details of litigation off your hands, giving you time to recover from the experience and nurture the healing process. To schedule your cost-free initial consultation, call (770) 525-9098 or contact us online.
