Been Bitten by a Neighbor’s Dog? Here’s What to Do Next

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Whether you love “man’s best friend” or not, being bitten by a dog is no laughing matter and can be one of the most harrowing experiences. You can be left with serious injuries, infections, broken bones, and lasting mental/physical trauma. To make matters worse, it was your friendly neighbor’s dog who mauled you, which can make it difficult when it comes to claiming compensation. However, there is help at hand, and your neighbor has a duty of care to ensure their dog behaves themself. Throughout this article, we will take you through the steps you need to take following a bite from your neighbor’s dog.

Immediately After

The first thing you need to do is find out who the owner’s dog is, as it’s them you need to talk to – given dogs can’t speak human and all. If it is a neighbor you aren’t familiar with, you need to ask them for their details and name. You should also get a copy of the dog’s vaccination record. Just take notes – do not talk about the attack with the owner even if they’re good friends. While you’re at the scene, you should take photos and get evidence of the attack – these are going to be useful for a reputable dog bite attorney like Jason Stone Injury Lawyers.

Depending on your state laws, you may be legally obliged to report the dog bite to animal control. As a further measure, you may want to contact local law enforcement to get an incident number – which can be handy later down the line. You should also tend to your injuries – the sooner you seek medical care, the best chance you have of being fully cured.

Next, you need to contact an injury lawyer. The process of filing for dog bite compensation can be extremely complex and technical.

How Is Compensation Worked Out?

Ultimately, there are three areas of assessment that are taken into consideration:

  • Your medical expenses, including any rehabilitation time and any future treatment required.
  • Loss of income will be taken into account if you can’t return to work, especially if you’re left physically unable to carry out your previous role.
  • Some losses can’t be written down. Your attorney will help assess your mental suffering.

Dog Laws

Each state has its own set of laws when it comes to aggressive dogs. Generally speaking, if a dog bites someone once, then it may be classified under the one-bite rule. This means that the dog is recorded, the actions are seen as owner inexperience, and any future attacks will be seen as negligence on the owner’s behalf.

Being bitten by a dog is scary business, as cute as the pets can be. When it’s a neighbor’s dog, it can be especially traumatic, because you may feel as though you can’t take legal action on a potential friend. However, dog owners have a legal obligation to keep their pets on the straight and narrow, so get in touch with a dog bite attorney.