Like any other carnivore, dogs are animals and can turn on man and cause serious injuries regardless of being his best friend. After a dog attacks, it leaves one with bite marks, trauma, and an attacked person can easily contract rabies. If you have experienced a dog attack, here are some legal guidelines on what you need to do.
The most important thing you ought to do when a dog attacks you is record everything that transpired during the attack immediately from the beginning to the end. If you might have had a verbal or physical exchange with the dog owner before and after the attack, ensure that you include it in your written record. You should also prepare a list of all the expenses you are likely to incur and also ensure that you capture any state law clauses on dog bites.
You should also report the dog bite matter to the local enforcement as soon as possible. The police will write a report in the incident and this will aid in their investigation in determining if the dog has been involved in a different bite incident. After you have reported the matter, the police also seek to investigate if the owner has had the dog vaccinated well and up to date as this may greatly impact your case in court. Ensure that you seek medical attention regardless of the injuries caused by the dog being major or minor.
An out of court settlement is one of the options you can go for when you are looking for settlement with a dog owner whose dog attacked you. You can also have the owner’s insurance company or his or her own owner’s insurance cover compensate you for the claim. Out of court settlement is both cheap in terms of costs and also takes a shorter period of time. It would be wise that you take your time and assess the settlement claim you are about to make so as to get the best possible deal out of it.
If the dog owner fails to live up to the payment of the agreed amount or any issue arises, seek the services of a lawyer. Your lawyer informs the dog owner of your intentions to sue him or her based on the expenses you have incurred through a demand letter. Within the demand letter is a quote which your lawyer demands as payment for you with regard to the injuries caused to you in case the sued party fails to settle the amount. Proceed with the suite if the dog has been involved in another biting incident.