Dog bites can lead to serious, long-term injuries and medical conditions. In certain circumstances, dog attacks have been known to be fatal. If you were bitten by a dog, you have the right to see financial compensation from the animal’s owner. The Lawrenceville dog bite attorneys with our law firm can help.
Pursuing a lawsuit against the dog owner takes a thorough understanding of the law. Our Lawrenceville personal injury lawyer can explain your rights and help build your case. Call Kaine Law today for a free case review of your dog bite injury claim.
Take These Important Steps Following Your Dog Bite in Lawrenceville
If you have suffered injuries in an animal attack, our Lawrenceville dog bite injury lawyers advise you to do the following for your healthy recovery and your right to fair compensation:
- Call 9-1-1: You need to report the incident to the local authorities. Let animal control know what has happened, what you remember about the dog, and where you are. If your injuries are severe, request an ambulance.
- Collect contact information: If the dog’s owner is present, request contact information. The same goes for any eyewitnesses.
- Document the accident: You should take pictures of your injuries and the dog, if possible. Record what you remember before the attack and note if there are any cameras in the area that may have recorded the event.
- See a doctor: If you do not take an ambulance to the emergency room, see a doctor as soon as possible. Dog bites can lead to serious injuries and infections. Start your doctor’s treatment program and follow it completely.
- Speak with a lawyer: Finally, consider speaking with a lawyer. Our dog bite attorneys in Lawrenceville, Georgia, can protect you from the insurance companies undervaluing or denying your personal injury claim.
For a free legal consultation with a dog bite lawyer serving Lawrenceville, call 404-214-2001
Our Lawrenceville Dog Bite Attorney Can Hold the Dog Owner Accountable
Ultimately, Georgia dog bite laws determine when the owner of an aggressive animal is financially responsible for the harm they cause. Unlike many other states, Georgia law does hold dog owners strictly liable for the injuries their animals cause. However, you must meet certain legal requirements.
The Dog Owner Must Have Been Negligent
In order to recover financial compensation following a dog bite, you must show that the owner’s negligent care led to the dog attacking you. Examples of negligent owner actions include:
- Failing to restrain the dog with a leash or fence
- Inadequate or improper training
- Ignoring signs of aggression
- Failing to socialize the animal
Per O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7, the state law holds that it could be possible to make a case for negligence if the dog was off of its leash in violation of city or county ordinances.
The Dog Must Be Vicious or Dangerous
For your dog bite injury lawsuit to be successful, you must also show that the animal that attacked you was a vicious or dangerous dog. Per O.C.G.A. § 4-8-21, the state defines the two categories in the following ways:
- Dangerous: A dog whose bite penetrates the skin and causes a serious injury or demonstrates aggressive behavior that a person would believe they could suffer a serious injury
- Vicious: A dog that seriously injures a person even when said person was trying to escape the attack
Additional Considerations for Your Dog Bite Lawsuit
If the dog was dangerous or vicious, the dog owner has other defenses they could rely on in a dog bite lawsuit. You can only pursue a lawsuit against the dog owner if the attack occurred in a place where you had the right to be. If you were trespassing, the owner is protected from any dog bite-related lawsuit. It is also a defense if the bite victim was abusing the dog prior to the attack.
While these standards for animal attacks are higher, our firm is prepared to help you pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.
Lawrenceville Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me 404-214-2001
Dog Bite Injuries Could Lead to Various Types of Compensation
There are different examples of financial compensation that might be available following a dog bite. Since no two cases are exactly alike, there is no average settlement value. These injuries have the potential to cause serious injuries, and the ramifications of those injuries could stretch onto other aspects of your life.
Medical Bills
High medical expenses often come with a serious dog bite injury. The cost of your medical attention can be hard to gauge at first, especially if you require ongoing medical care. A dog bite claim could provide you with the opportunity to pay for medical treatment like surgical procedures, physical therapy, or hospital bills.
Disfigurement
Scarring and disfigurement is a common consequence of a dog attack. Dog bites are known for leaving permanent scars at the bite location. What’s more, these bites most often happen on visible areas of the body like the hands or the face. A monetary award from the dog owner’s insurance company could be available to compensate you for scarring and disfigurement.
Lost Wages
For many people, a dog bite means going days, weeks, or even longer without the ability to work. This situation could dramatically reduce a dog bite victim’s income in the aftermath of an attack. If you were bitten by a dog and had to miss work as a result, you could seek compensation for lost wages.
Diminished Future Earnings
If your injury leads to long-term physical limitations, your future earning power could be diminished. When the injury you suffered from a dog bite requires you to take lower-paying employment that is compatible with your physical health, seeking compensation could help you make up the difference in wages.
Pain and Suffering
In addition to the physical injuries and pain the dog bite caused, you may also experience mental anguish and emotional distress. Your dog bite lawyer in Lawrenceville can help to calculate how much compensation you should receive for the non-tangible costs of a bite.
Wrongful Death Damages
In the most extreme of cases, people have lost their lives from dog attacks. If you have lost a family member, please accept our sincere condolences. We understand the turmoil and hardship your family is now facing. A wrongful death lawyer serving Lawrenceville from our law firm can help you alleviate some of your financial hardships. They can pursue compensation that covers your loved one’s medical bills, funeral and burial expenses, and the loss of consortium they would have provided you and the loss of support they would have provided your family.
Please call our office today. The legal team at Kaine Law can review your case during a free consultation. Our dog bite lawyers in Lawrenceville can explain the merits of your case and your next steps to obtaining the compensation your family deserves to move on.
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Do Not Let the Statute of Limitations Expire on Your Dog Bite Lawsuit
As your personal injury law firm, our goal is your recovery. Kaine Law has been helping injury victims and their families obtain the compensation they need, but our time to aid you is limited.
Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, you generally have two years to file your personal injury lawsuit with the Gwinnett County courthouse. If you miss that deadline, you may be unable to successfully obtain a fair settlement.
However, if you contact us as soon as your injuries stabilize, our Lawrenceville dog bite accident lawyers can get to work investigating your accident, contacting the insurance companies, and fighting for your rights.
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You Could Pursue a Dog Bite Case Without Paying Anything Up Front
If the concern about financial commitment has left you unsure about pursuing a dog bite injury lawsuit, it is important to note you have options. Our law firm provides legal representation for dog bite cases on a contingency basis, which means you have the opportunity to pursue fair compensation without any upfront legal fees.
When you hire a personal injury attorney on a contingency fee basis, they perform the work in your case without any direct payment from you. Instead, an attorney will keep a preapproved portion of anything they recover in your case. This approach lets the attorney assume all of the risk.
Our goal is to see you get the means to recover physically, emotionally, and financially. We do not want to add any more strain on you. Once we decide to work together, your only concern is to follow through with your doctor’s prescribed healthcare treatments. Leave the rest of your personal injury claim to us.
Who Is at Risk for a Dog Bite?
While aggressive dogs could attack anyone, there are some people who are more at risk from a dog bite than others. In fact, many of the people who are at the highest risk of suffering a bite are also the most likely to face severe injuries afterward.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), small children are the most likely to suffer dog bite injuries. These children are also the most likely to suffer severe or life-threatening injuries following a dog attack.
Our Lawrenceville Dog Bite Lawyer Can Help You Recover
You should not have to deal with the difficult consequences of a dog attack on your own. If your dog bite resulted from the dog owner mishandling the animal, you could be entitled to a monetary award. Our law firm is ready to stand by your side as you pursue fair compensation for your injuries.
Let the team at Kaine Law fight for you. To learn more about how a Lawrenceville dog bite attorney might be able to help, call us for your free initial consultation. Contact us today.
Call or text 404-214-2001 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
