Only a few things are as traumatic as getting bitten by a dog, especially when you consider the fact that these animals are the best friends of human beings. More problems arise than usual when such an incident takes place at the home of a friend or family member. The very thought of suing someone you know may prevent you from applying for compensation. Fortunately, pursuing such a claim with the support of a Dog Bite Lawyer won’t require you to obtain money from your acquaintances personally. Instead, you can bring the claim against the homeowner’s insurance agency. After all, your family member or friend already paid to buy insurance coverage to cover for injuries or accidents that may occur on their property. Insurance services are there precisely to cover for situations like these. Naturally, availing of the benefit of that insurance is perfectly sensible.
- The level of injury: If you’re still wondering whether it’s a path worth embarking upon, consider the situations described here. You should start by gauging the severity of the dog bite accident. According to experts, there are six levels of dog bites. As you can probably guess, level one dog bites are not eligible for making claims. However, people with a level three or higher grade of injury can approach. This level encompasses events where the creature manages to puncture at least half the length of its canine teeth. Such an event can change your life for the worse significantly. The medical bills will be incredibly high, and you can be certain you’ll need reimbursements.
- Emotional breakdown: You must consider opting for a lawsuit if you experience an emotional trauma right after the incident. It’s extremely common for folks to suffer from PTSD and emotional stress after getting bitten by a dog. The circumstances will be traumatic enough, and they may force you to relive a moment you want to forget over and over again. You won’t even be able to stop thinking about it. Just because psychological wounds remain invisible doesn’t mean they don’t need treatment, though. You may have to undergo psychological therapy and take medication to heal from it.
- Financial burden: A lot of people have to put up with the financial burden of dog bite injuries. The first one on the list is the medical bills. You’ll require initial and follow-up care to recuperate, and you may even need mental healthcare services. Sometimes, those bills can stretch as long as a few weeks, months, or even years. Furthermore, you won’t be able to continue working until you heal entirely. It will result in missed paychecks, and sooner rather than later, you’ll face problems paying your utility and other bills. Apart from these things, if the dog bite is severe enough to affect your vision or mobility, you may not be able to continue doing what you did to earn a living.
Summing it up
A Dog Bite Lawyer can help you file a claim to accumulate economic, as well as non-economic damages. Quantifying the economic setbacks is possible. These damages include the money you lose as a result of the accident, including medical bills and missed paychecks. Fortunately, an attorney should be able to collect damages on your behalf that will surely support you when you face financial hardships.