Hiring A Personal Injury Attorney After Getting Attacked By A Dog
If you get injured but it's not your fault, you may need to hire a personal injury attorney. This is especially true if there is another party involved and they were negligent and have refused to take responsibility for the injury you sustained. While filing a personal injury claim seems like it is going to take a lot of time and money, you might be interested to know that the average compensation for these types of claims is $52,900.
If you suffer a personal injury in the United States after getting attacked by a dog, you may need to hire a personal injury attorney.
Dog Bites in the United States
According to dog bite statistics, 1,000 people in the United States need to go to the emergency room because they have been bitten by a dog. Sometimes the injuries from being bitten or attacked by a dog can even warrant a hospital stay. In fact, 9,500 people a year are hospitalized in the United States because of injuries sustained by a dog.
Some of the most common types of injuries include:
- Puncture wounds that go deep into the flesh and cause blood loss
- Infection from scratches and bites
- Permanent scarring on the face or other parts of exposed skin
- Nerve damage
Some people, especially children, can even be damaged emotionally and may be scared of dogs for the rest of their life following a bite or attack. Others have also been known to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As you can see, getting attacked by a dog is a very serious matter, which is why you may want to seek compensation.
What Compensation Covers
Pet owners should be held responsible for the behavior of their pets, so when a dog attacks or bites you, the owner should be responsible and pay your medical bills for you. If they refuse to do this, or you cannot reach a settlement agreement with the dog's owner, you may need to hire a personal injury attorney. In the event you are attacked by a dog, compensation can cover the following expenses:
- Medical costs associated with treating the dog bite
- Repair or replacement of property that got damaged during the attack (such as clothing)
- Lost wages for having to take time off of work for going to the doctor
- Emotional trauma as a result of being attacked by a dog
If you have suffered a permanent disability as a result of being attacked, compensation will cover that as well. Contact a firm like Gartner Law Firm to learn more.
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