Dog Bite Lawyer

Man’s best friend can turn into their worst enemy in the blink of an eye. When a pet owner fails to appropriately control their pet, prevent it from escaping, or at very least warn others of the harm the pet can cause, they could be held liable for the resulting medical costs and other losses.

Dog bites are serious medical emergencies in many cases. On average, dog bite cases in the U.S. led to $50,425 in total recoverable damages in 2020, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That represents a 12% increase from 2019, despite a 4.6% decrease in the volume of dog bite cases overall.

Attorney Ali Awad, the CEO Lawyer, knows the legal ins and outs of every type of dog bite injury case. Our firm has tried hundreds of cases on behalf of our clients, and we have a record of winning large settlements for their injury costs. When you have been hurt by a dog bite, turn to the legal authority trusted by hundreds of clients and millions of followers on social media.

After you have been hurt, seek prompt medical care, then get in touch with the injury and accident attorneys at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm, who will help you seek to recoup the costs. Contact us online or call (833) 254-2923 to schedule a free, confidential, and no-obligation appointment with a dog bite attorney today.

Dog Bites Are No Joke: Here’s Why You Might Need a Dog Bite Lawyer

In many situations, dog bites can lead to a few bandages and lots of embarrassment. However, no one should underestimate the potential for a dog to cause major medical injury or even kill.

A study of 2018 data found that, overall, dog bites were the 13th most common cause of non-fatal emergency room visits in the U.S. The study cites data showing that around 4.5 million individuals are bitten by dogs each year. 19% of dog bites require medical attention, and dog bites caused 337,103 ER visits from 2005-to 2013. Nearly 27,000 patients required extensive reconstructive surgery following a dog bite in 2018.

Dog bits tend to affect children in particularly gruesome ways. Around 50% of dog bite victims are minors, and injuries tend to be more serious — or fatal — when young children are involved in dog attacks.

Most chilling of all, the above-mentioned study notes that “most dog bite injuries in the U.S. are inflicted by owned pet animals and not strays,” adding: “Three of five bite victims were bitten by the family dog or one living in the neighborhood.”

The sad fact is that most dog bites are preventable. With proper care and attention to a dog, the risk of the dog biting someone drops to nearly zero. Owners, therefore, have an express duty of care to look after their animal and talk all reasonable and necessary steps to prevent the animal from injuring others.

The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm will independently investigate the exact circumstances that led to your dog bite. We can also work with local medical experts to get you a full diagnosis and the full extent of care you or your loved one needs to recover from their horrific medical trauma. We fight hard to hold negligent owners accountable and to seek to restore 100% of your losses inflicted by the incident.

How a Dog Bite Attorney Proves Liability in an Injury Case

One challenging aspect of dog bite injury cases is that every state has its own unique laws outlining dog owners’ duty of care — and when a dog owner might be liable after a bite has occurred.

The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm team will thoroughly review all relevant laws in your case, including local ordinances as well as prior case outcomes involving a similar scenario. We work to help you understand the most-relevant laws affecting your case inside and out, and we seek to hold responsible parties liable to the fullest extent of the law.

Below are some examples of state dog bite laws and how they can affect an injury victim’s ability to prove that someone else is responsible for their damages.

Georgia Dog Bite Statutes

Georgia dog bite laws use a modified version of the common “one bite” rule. Under these rules, the owner of a dog is not responsible for a bite that occurs if they had no prior knowledge that the animal was “vicious.” However, if an attack against a person or animal has occurred in the past, then the owner should reasonably have foreknowledge of the risks their dog poses to the health and safety of others. 

In some cases, a dog’s aggressive behaviors can be used as evidence that the owner could reasonably understand that their animal was “vicious” and capable of harming others. Examples include instances of trying to attack other people or animals, aggressive barking, hostile snarling or snapping, and attempts to escape an owner or their property for the purposes of attacking someone. 

Georgia state laws also allow for a presumption of viciousness when the owner is careless, including situations where the animal was allowed to roam free without a leash or outside a fence.

Tennessee Dog Bite Statutes

Tennessee rewrote legislation that followed the old “one bite” rule after a 60-year-old was viciously attacked and killed by three dogs in her own neighborhood. The new laws hold dog owners responsible for any attack that causes an injury and occurs in a public place or upon the private property of another.

Tennessee’s revised 2007 law does carve out some exceptions for the following situations: 

• Police or military dogs performing official duties
• The victim was illegally trespassing
• The dog was protecting their owner from an attack by another person or dog
• The dog was securely confined in a crate, kennel, or other enclosure
• The injury victim was enticing, disturbing, alarming, harassing, or otherwise provoking the dog.

Further, if the injury victim was on any non-commercial property held by the dog owner, and the dog had no prior history of attacks or vicious behavior, then the owner may not be held liable for the damages inflicted.

Damages Recoverable With the Assistance of a Dog Bite Injuries Lawyer

Damages sought in a dog bite case can include any or all of the following:

• Medical bills, past and present, for all reasonable and necessary care needed in the aftermath of the attack

• Lost wages caused by missed work or an inability to return to the same job duties, either temporarily or permanently

• Pain and suffering related to the experience, in proportion to the severity of the bite and the debilitating effects inflicted by the injuries

• Emotional anguish caused by the attack, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the costs of therapy and counseling in the wake of the attack

• Compensation for permanent scarring, disfigurement, or loss of use of a limb, organ, or bodily function, specific to the individual dog bite case

Common Dog Bite Injuries

Every dog bite case is unique, but the following injuries are commonly seen:

Puncture Wounds

The most immediate effect of a dog bite wound is that the skin is punctured, leading to bleeding and a high risk of infection.

Crushing Injuries

Some dogs have powerful enough jaws to crush bones and sever tendons and ligaments. These injuries can lead to temporary or permanent disability in the affected limb.

Hand Injuries

Injuries to the hand are among the most common type of dog bite wounds. These injuries can cause swelling, infection, and an inability to perform job duties or daily activities.

Facial and Neck Injuries

Instincts (and sometimes training) can cause a dog to automatically attack the face and neck of its victims. These wounds are especially common in child victims. They can lead to eye injuries, facial scarring, respiratory distress, nerve damage, permanent scarring/disfigurement, and death.

Leg and Foot Injuries

Dogs may attack the legs or feet of a victim who is far away or attempting to flee. The injured victim may be temporarily unable to walk and can even sustain permanent damage to muscles or tissue as a result of the attack.

Avulsions

With their powerful jaws and neck muscles, dogs can rip and tear flesh away from the body in an instant. The victim may sustain permanent muscle or tissue damage, and they could lose organs like fingers, toes, and ears.

Nerve Damage

Crushing, puncture, and avulsion injuries can lead to permanent nerve damage in the affected region. The nerve damage can cause chronic pain, limited mobility, and even paralysis. In extreme cases, the affected limb may need to be amputated.

Rabies, Tetanus, and Other Diseases

The secondary effects of a dog bite can be even worse than the initial attack. Deep bites are likely to inflict tetanus, especially if the victim has not recently received a booster of the tetanus vaccine. Dogs who have not been given regular rabies vaccines can infect the injury victim with rabies, seriously jeopardizing their health and risking death. Treatment for rabies post-bite is incredibly expensive and may include painful injections directly into the abdomen.

Bring Negligent Dog Owners to Justice With the Help of a Dog Bite Attorney

Any time you have been injured in a dog bite incident, seek prompt medical attention. Document the incident to the best of your memory, and reach out to attorneys familiar with the dog bite laws and negligence rules in your local area.

The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm is here and ready to help you in the wake of your painful and traumatic attack. We can refer you to specialists who can give you the best possible medical care and a full analysis of your injuries, your condition, and your path to recovery.

Never blame yourself for a dog attack; instead, seek to hold the owner accountable for your medical costs and other damages. Reach out to the CEO Lawyer to pursue the maximum amount of compensation available.

Schedule a free, confidential, and no-obligation case evaluation now when you contact us online or call (833) 254-2923.