Mesa Dog Bite Case: Do You Have One?

Getting bit by a dog can be terrifying. You never know how vicious the dog will be, so you might want away with an easily treatable wound or you may be left fighting for your life. It can also be scary because you never know what kind of diseases the dog may be carrying or if it has rabies. If it’s a stray dog, you won’t have these answers, and even if the dog has an owner, the owner may not have done a good job of keeping up with vet visits and immunizations.

The aftermath of a dog bite can be difficult. You might have to get ongoing medical care, you might lose work, and you might suffer psychological problems because of the trauma of the attack. You may be able to get compensation from the person responsible for your medical bills and other losses. You will need to talk to a Mesa dog bite lawyer to determine whether you have a case and how much it might be worth.

Report the Incident Right Away

If you have a legal case for your dog bite, it can easily be undermined if there is no record of what happened. You need to report the incident as soon as possible to protect any future legal claims.

Report the bite to the owner of the dog, if you know who that is. Then call the police so that you can file a formal report about what happened. Then get immediate medical attention, even if you think the wounds can be tended at home. You need professional medical evaluation to know if the bite caused any underlying damage and to help stop the spread of infection.

Proving Liability

Next, you’ll need to prove who is liable for your dog bite. Otherwise, you have no one to sue. You need to track down the owner of the dog, or you need to show that the owner of the property you were on was liable because they did not take the proper steps to keep the dog out.

Proving liability in your dog bite case involves:

• Proving ownership of the dog
• Proving that you were bitten while on public property or while you were lawfully on private property (such as being invited to a friend’s home)
• Proving that the bite caused your injuries

Though these may seem like simple tasks, they can prove to be difficult, which is why it is important to work with a Mesa dog bite attorney. Your attorney will review all the circumstances of your case and will call on a team of experts, including private investigators if necessary, to prove the necessary components of your claim.

Proving the Worth of the Case

If you are suing someone for damages in a dog bite case, you need to have a number in mind. You can’t bring a suit without asking for a specific amount. The amount may change based on negotiations or the decision of the judge, but you have to start out with an ask.

You ill also need to prove that the amount you are requesting is what you deserve. Different factors go into determining the compensation you should receive, including:

• Total cost of medical bills, including projected future medical needs
• Time lost from work (as well as projected earnings’ loss if your injury resulted in a diminished ability to work)
• Pain and suffering

That last category is the hardest to quantify since it concerns intangibles. How do you measure how much you have suffered? And how do you assign a value to that? Your injury attorney can help you with these issues so you can both come up with a number that fairly compensates you for all that you have experienced.

When you go after a dog owner or their insurance company for a dog bite, those people are going to do everything they can to deny or minimize their liability so they don’t have to pay you. You need to work with an experienced Mesa injury lawyer to protect your rights and to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve under the law.

Injury Lawyers Mesa can help. If you have been bitten by a dog, a dog bite lawyer from our team can help you understand your legal rights and what kind of compensation you should expect to receive. Our attorneys are dedicated to helping you get what you deserve so that you can heal and move forward after a dog bite. Call us in Mesa today!

My AZ Lawyers

Mesa Location:
1731 West Baseline Rd., Suite #100
Mesa, AZ 85202
Office: (480) 448-9800

Glendale Location:
20325 N 51st Avenue Suite #134, Building 5
Glendale, AZ 85308
Office: (602) 509-0955

Tucson Location:
2 East Congress St., Suite #900-6A
Tucson, AZ 85701
Office: (520) 441-1450

Avondale Location:
12725 W. Indian School Rd., Ste E, #101
Avondale, AZ 85392