When people think about dangerous animals, they usually think of large predators like tigers, sharks, or wolves. However, in the United States, people are far more likely to be injured by a dog than any other type of animal. Dog bites range in severity from minor nips to injuries requiring medical care. While some of those animals have a history of violence or aggression, many of them do not.
Dog bites can result from negligent behavior by the owners or the victims. Someone’s ability to recover for those injuries depends on the circumstances of the bite and what the owners did to protect people from their dogs. A New Orleans dog bite lawyer could investigate your case and provide you with potential remedies. Call to speak with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys about your rights after a canine attack.
Many people dismiss the severity of dog bites. However, dog bites can cause tremendous damage. They can lead to infections, tissue damage, disfigurement, and scarring. When the victims are small children, it is not unusual for the dog to do significant soft tissue damage. The recovery process may include surgeries, antibiotic treatment, and more.
Additionally, dog bites frequently lead to emotional damage and trauma. Victims may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or develop phobias around dogs and other animals. These mental health conditions can have a significant impact on people, requiring therapy to restore their quality of life. An attorney in New Orleans could examine physical and emotional injuries when contemplating appropriate damage awards for a dog bite claim.
Victims must seek medical attention after dog bites, which are often more severe than they appear. These injuries can cause multiple levels of tissue damage, and a dog’s mouth bacteria can lead to severe infections. Medical treatment often involves treating the wound as well as receiving preventative antibiotic care.
Seeking medical care for a dog bite also establishes the date of the injury. Dog owners may deny that their pet was the one in the attack. Failing to seek immediate medical care opens up the possibility that another dog was responsible for the injuries. Establishing the date of the incident is essential in personal injury claims, mainly when proof of the incident often depends on a victim’s testimony.
When a person gets medical care for a dog bite, it also triggers a reporting requirement. Healthcare providers must report dog bites to the local health department. If they cannot locate and identify the dog, the healthcare providers may initiate a rabies protocol. If they do locate and identify the dog, they will verify that it has a current rabies vaccination. If not, they may place the dog in quarantine to ensure it does not have rabies. It is important to seek out a lawyer in New Orleans after receiving medical care to review the evidence in a dog bite case.
This is not a strict liability state for dog bites. In a strict liability state, a dog owner is liable for dog bites under almost every circumstance. Instead, Louisiana follows a one-bite rule, where a dog owner is liable if they knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.
The one-bite rule will not prevent people from recovering if the dog has no history of attacking people. Owners still have to take reasonable steps to protect the public from their dogs. Those steps can include leashing the dog in public and otherwise exercising control over the dog. Failure to follow common-sense rules can leave an owner liable, even if a dog has no history of aggression. An attorney could help determine whether the one-bite rule applies in a specific dog bite case in New Orleans.
In many cases, the dog owner’s homeowners’ or renters’ insurance will cover a dog bite claim. Negotiating with them can be challenging, especially if the dog owner is a friend or family member. Hiring a New Orleans dog bite lawyer to handle the claim allows you to distance yourself from the settlement negotiation process. This distance can help preserve relationships and get you the compensation you deserve.
Call our office today to schedule an appointment with one of our skilled attorneys.
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