The Ultimate Guide to Dog Bite Injuries

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Many times when people get bitten by a dog they do not know where to turn. The internet is flooded with tips that may or may not work to help litigate your injury. Below is the Friedman & Ranzenhofer ultimate guide to dog bites, and it can help you if you or a loved one is attacked by a dog.

Buffalo Injury Attorney1.) The Owner is Responsible for the Dog Attack

If you own a dog, it is your responsibility to make sure your dog doesn’t attack other people. As an owner, it is your responsibility to keep your dog properly controlled. The dog must be properly housed and people must be appropriately warned if your dog is vicious. As a homeowner, whether with regard to the condition of your property or a dangerous dog that’s kept on your property, you have responsibility to protect others from that vicious dog.

Summary:

  • If you own a dog, you are responsible for making sure your dog doesn’t attack others.
  • As an owner, you must keep your dog properly controlled and housed.
  • People must be appropriately warned if your dog is vicious.
  • As a homeowner, you have a responsibility to protect others from a vicious dog that’s kept on your property.

Dog Bite Attorney Buffalo NY2.) The Questions You Should Ask the Dog’s Owner

If you come into our Buffalo office after being bitten by a dog, the most important thing is to first make sure you have received the proper medical treatment. You must ask the dog’s owner whether that dog is current with its shots – and you want to see proof of that. As far as your claim is concerned, you need to know a little bit about the dog, such as whether that dog has ever bitten anybody before and whether the dog is known to be vicious or has been involved in similar vicious activity in the past.

Summary:

  • If have been bitten by a dog, first make sure to seek the proper medical treatment.
  • Ask the dog’s owner whether the dog’s shots are current, and get proof.
  • To support your claim, gather information about the dog’s history.
  • Ascertain whether the dog has bitten others, or is known to be vicious.

Personal Injury Lawyer Buffalo NY3.) Typical Dog Bite Injuries

Generally when somebody comes into our Buffalo office after they’ve been bitten by a dog, the most common indication of injury is the bite mark and/or scratching, and any resulting scarring that remains after the injuries have been treated. There may also be other injuries. We’ve had people who have fallen and suffered broken bones as the result of a dog bite; however, the most common injury is generally the dog bite itself, as well as any scarring that’s left after the bite heals.

Summary:

  • After a dog bite, the most common indication of injury is the bite mark and any scarring that remains.
  • Other injuries can include fall, resulting in broken bones.

Dog Bite Lawyer Buffalo NY4.) Determining a Good Dog Bite Case

A “good dog bite case” is kind of a funny term because no accident is good, and people come into our office after having had the misfortune of being bitten. However, in terms of evaluating these cases, one of the most important things to know is whether or not that dog has ever bitten anybody in the past or whether that dog has a known history of viciousness. Those are the two primary things we look at because they are the two most important factors used to determine whether or not you have a “good” case.

Summary:

  • A “good dog bite case” sounds kind of odd because no accident is good; however, in terms of evaluating dog bite cases, certain things determine whether you have a “good” case.
  • Most importantly, we need to know whether that dog has ever bitten anybody before, or whether the dog has a known history of viciousness.

Buffalo Dog Bite Attorney5.) Being Covered Under a Homeowner’s Policy

Generally, when someone comes into our office after they’ve been bitten by a dog, they want to know whether or not any insurance will be involved. Normally, the dog’s owner or the person who owns the home where the dog lives is covered by a homeowner’s policy. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, it’s important to find out who owns the dog and put that person on notice. In other words, you send them a letter or, in some other documentable way, let them know you’ve been bitten by their dog. You also want to find out who their insurance company is so you can notify that insurance company that you’ve been bitten by a dog owned by their policyholder.

Summary:

  • The dog’s owner or the person who owns the home where the dog lives may have a homeowner’s policy.
  • If you’ve been bitten, it’s important to find out who owns the dog and put that person on notice via a letter or other documentable way form.
  • Find out who their insurance company is and notify them that you’ve been bitten by a dog owned by their policyholder.

6.) Buffalo Personal Injury AttorneyWhat to Do if the Owner Doesn’t Have Insuance

If you’ve been bitten by a dog and the owner doesn’t have insurance, you must take a very careful look at the circumstances and decide whether or not to bring that claim. In such cases, we will usually do an asset search or some sort of history on that owner to ascertain whether they have the financial resources to compensate you for your injuries. Before you spend a lot of time, money, and effort trying to pursue a claim, it’s very important to make sure you have that background information. You want to be sure that, at the end of the day, all of your time and effort expended in pursuing the desired result, you’ll be able to obtain a recovery for the expenses you incurred because of that dog bite.

Summary:

  • If the owner of a dog that bites you doesn’t have insurance, look very carefully at the circumstances to decide whether to bring a claim.
  • We will conduct an asset search or history to ascertain whether they have the financial resources to compensate you.
  • Before spending time, money, and effort on a claim, be sure to get that background information.

Have you or a loved one been bitten or attacked by a dog causing serious injury? Let one of our experienced Injury Attorneys in Buffalo NY fight for your full recovery.

This educational legal blog was brought to you by Michael Ranzenhofer, an experienced Buffalo Personal Injury Attorney.

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