More people own dogs in the United States than ever before, and that number keeps growing. Dogs are usually content to give companionship and happiness, sometimes when they are uncomfortable they can lash out. Around the world, millions of dog bites happen every year. Additionally, many dog bite cases happen from dogs that victims know. Dog bite injuries can have significant medical, legal, and financial ramifications. aIt’s important to know what to do if you have experienced a dog bite or dog attack. Nelson Personal Injury looks at some steps you should take after a dog bite or dog attack below.
First Steps After A Dog Bite
Dog bites can be traumatic, and often happen quickly. The steps immediately following your incident can have an impact on your health recovered damages. Make sure you are prepared so you won’t have to worry. Follow these steps:
- Seek Medical Attention: For puncture wounds or other serious injuries, it’s important to make sure you or the victim of the dog bite is safe. Check that the dog has it’s vaccinations, as rabies vaccinations need to be administered soon after a bite by an unvaccinated dog. Dog bites are also prone to infections. If it’s possible, take a picture of the wound before treatment for documentation.
- Get The Owner’s Information: Just like in any other accident where two parties are involved, make sure you, or someone who has not been injured that you trust, gets the information of the owner to contact them later.
- Talk To Witnesses: If anyone saw the event, make sure to get their information. This is so that they can set the record straight on what happened, in case there are conflicting stories.
- Contact Proper Channels: Making sure that you alert your local animal control and file an official report helps establish a paper trail from the event and gives your case evidence. Informing authorities also ensures the dog does not harm anyone else.
Proper Documentation
It’s important for a dog bite personal injury claim to have proper documentation if you are going to recover damages. Documenting the untreated wound is important to show the initial damage. Once you have received medical attention, keep a note of how the injury has affected you. This means loss of motion, any pain that you still have, or if you can’t do certain things that are critical to your everyday activities. Building these notes can help you when you do decide to begin a personal injury claim.
Starting Your Claim
Homeowners insurance often covers dog bites in Minnesota. This means that even if the owner is horrified at the event and supportive of you, the claim will be against an insurance company. They will try their hardest to give you the lowest settlement, to save their company money. This is why it is critical to contact a professional personal injury attorney like those at Nelson Personal Injury. Having a licensed professional on your side is critical. They know the laws and can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Work With Nelson Personal Injury
The personal injury lawyers at Nelson Personal Injury have been working with dog bite personal injury clients in the St. Cloud and Central Minnesota area for over 30 years. We know that personal injury claims can be difficult. That’s why we work hard to make sure you feel heard and get the compensation to help you on the road to recovery. Find out more about our qualified personal injury lawyers, and how we can help you with your claim, on our website: nelsonpersonalinjury.com.
