Does an Adult Need a Lawyer for a Dog Bite Claim?

A dog bite incident is a serious personal injury case that needs to be thoroughly examined and addressed. Being of legal age makes you eligible to ask for consultation from a dog bite lawyer. Usually, dog bite incidents hide deeper negligence or training malpractice from the side of the dog masters. 

Since each dog bite incident is unique, a lawyer must act on your behalf to help secure your recovery. Trying to oppose the dog masters' false allegations without the help of a qualified lawyer is highly likely to end up in vain whether you are proceeding to a formal negotiation settlement or lawsuit. Here’s how an attorney can help you with a dog bite claim and speed up the recovery process. 

Deal With Other Party's Objections

The other party is always entitled to their opinion. The same applies to the dog bite cases, where your lawyer can listen to what the other side has to say and give them the right response. Even though dog bite cases involving adults rarely follow the litigation way, your lawyer can have your full medical records and present your injuries to the other party.

That will reduce their ignorance about your injuries and possibly make them decide to settle with you. An attorney should have the right communication training and experience to help them understand your demands and that any further delay would lead to filing a lawsuit.

Present Data Objectively

Lawyers know how to gather evidence from the dog bite scene and present the data precisely and objectively. If you tried to present the facts yourself, the other party could easily falsify them and try to oppose any allegation you may express. An experienced attorney and his legal team can present all data objectively the same way they would in a law court. 

Witnesses' testimonies from the dog bite scene and images gathered from security cameras could be strong evidence to prove the third party's liability for your attack. The objective presentation of evidence could eventually reveal the liable party’s role in your attack, whether by negligent act or omission.

Gather All Medical Bills Information

Right after being attacked by a dog, you may not be in the right state of mind to gather your medical bills for evidence. We understand you may be traumatized by the incident, and you need all the time you can get to recover. Medical expenses even after such an ordeal tend to be quite overwhelming. Between the tens of hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, diagnosis, and medication, you could surely use some financial help.

A qualified lawyer can gather all relevant invoices and present them to the liable party during the settlement negotiations. Having your medical records and bills handy can help you to positively predispose the other party's lawyers and insurers. Since you may not possess such legal skills, it would be best to seek an attorney’s help.

Talk to Vets and Investigate the Dog's Aggressiveness

With or without prior experience with dogs, it may be quite difficult to assess an animal’s hostility or aggressiveness from a distance. Your lawyer can talk to vets treating the dog involved in the bite incident and get access to its veterinary and medication records. In that way, you can prove the dog was mistreated, neglected, or not trained properly, all of which constitute a negligence case that another court for animal protection could prosecute. 

Most vets won’t give up their medical records because you walked in and asked nicely. Either way, you need this information to strengthen your claim. As such, it is in your best interest to have a lawyer represent you even if you feel your incident was minor.

Reveal Any Criminal Intent

Despite its rare occurrence, criminal intent is a reason for punitive prosecution of the dog master. Police reports may reveal that the dog master intended to harm you by letting his dog unleashed on a public street or a private property. Even though you cannot easily prove what happened, your lawyer can examine the case and receive testimonies from neighbors and friends. If the dog had no previous signs of aggressiveness, then there may be an underlying condition.

Dog attacks are as traumatic as they are painful. Whether you were bleeding profusely from your injuries or got away with a scratch, you must seek medical help. Hiring an experienced lawyer can guide you through the court process and help you get recovery.