Has a dog bitten you or a loved one? Were you forced to seek medical treatment for this bite? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help you recover the costs of your injury.
A pet attack is a frightening experience that can leave you or your loved one with a serious dog bite injury. “Friendly” puppy nips can turn into a trip to the hospital when a dog grows to adulthood. A serious dog bite requires extensive medical care, which can cost thousands of dollars in medical expenses. With missed work and long-term therapies, costs don’t stop at the emergency room. You shouldn’t have to pay the price of an irresponsible dog owner’s negligence.
Unfortunately, you may be familiar with the dog who caused your injuries. Dogs owned by someone you know, like a friend, neighbor, or family member’s beloved pet, cause most dog bites. Even a dog that you interact with regularly can lash out during a moment of fear or aggression. If this happened to you, you might want to avoid seeking compensation so that your friend or family member won’t have to suffer financially.
That’s why you need a good lawyer. When you file a dog bite injury claim, you can demand compensation for injuries without creating a devastating financial burden for the dog’s owner. Almost all dog bite settlements are paid by a property owner’s insurance, not the owner themselves. A skilled dog bite attorney can explain your legal options and how you can be compensated for your medical bills, your missed work, and your pain and suffering.
The Indiana dog bite attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are ready to begin work on your case right now. Take the first step toward the compensation you need by contacting Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers at (219) 286-7361 to set up your free case evaluation.
Who Pays for a Dog Bite Injury?
All dog owners are required to control their pet’s behavior and intervene, when necessary, to prevent a dog bite. This is the case in public and in private homes. Poor dog owners may fail to train their dogs or even encourage aggression. In other cases, a dog bite is entirely unpredictable, and even responsible owners may not be able to stop sudden aggressive behavior.
Seeking compensation for your dog bite injury can be a difficult and emotional process, especially if you know the dog that bit you. You may need help paying for extensive medical bills and be reluctant to ask for that money from the dog’s owner. Fortunately, in most dog bite injury cases, you can seek compensation from the owner’s insurer rather than directly from the dog’s owner.
Most homeowners and rental insurance policies will compensate for dog bite injuries as a part of their liability coverage. If you were injured by a dog from an aggressive breed, like a pit bull or rottweiler, the dog owner might have an additional animal liability policy. These policies provide coverage for specific breeds that standard insurance policies exclude.
In either case, the insurance company will be responsible for paying any settlement that results from your dog bite claim. Don’t wait to contact an attorney just because you know the dog’s owner. Your attorney can thoroughly evaluate the facts of your case and make sure there’s an applicable insurance policy to make a claim against. You deserve compensation, and your friend or neighbor won’t have to pay it directly.
Why You Need a Dog Bite Attorney
When you need compensation for a dog bite injury, the best way to get it is to file a dog bite injury claim. But dealing with insurance companies comes with hurdles that are designed to prevent you from winning a fair settlement. Adjusters will search for reasons to deny your claim to protect their profits. Even small filing mistakes could give the insurance company reason to question the validity of your claim.
You need to work with a skilled dog bite attorney to ensure that you have the best possible chances of recovering compensation. Your lawyer will help you make a strong claim by gathering evidence that supports your case. They will use extensive resources to collect statements and documentation from medical providers, law enforcement officers, and witnesses. Finally, they’ll help you avoid filing mistakes and missing deadlines, which could jeopardize your right to compensation.
Filling a dog bite injury claim can be difficult and time-consuming. But working with a qualified attorney will take all of the difficult steps off your plate. You can take the time to recover while your attorney manages the important details of your case.
Why Choose Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers to Handle Your Case
Attorney Brian Custy founded Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers to fight for and protect injury victims in Indiana. Each of the attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers shares this vision, and we offer unwavering dedication to each of our clients.
We take the time to get to know you and understand the details of your case. This allows us to ensure that we meet your needs through a personalized legal approach. With years of legal experience, the attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are prepared to help you seek the best possible outcome, no matter the complexity of your case.
After a serious dog bite, you may not know what to do next. Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers understands that recovering from your injury is overwhelming, and we’ll do everything in our power to make the process easier for you. Our attorneys will answer your questions and offer you compassionate legal advice. We’ll also keep you up to date with your claim’s progress every step of the way.
When you’ve suffered a serious injury, you need support and guidance. The Indiana dog bite attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are ready to help.
Indiana Dog Bite Laws
According to the Indiana Code of Law section 15-20-1, a dog owner may be held liable for a dog bite injury if they should have had reasonable knowledge that their dog might bite unprovoked. Many courts interpret “reasonable knowledge” to mean that the dog has bitten someone in the past.
The state of Indiana follows the “one-bite” rule to determine who is liable for a dog bite injury. This rule states that a dog owner may not be responsible for a bite if their dog has no history of biting, and the owner was acting responsibly at the time of the incident.
If a dog has no history of biting, Indiana state law holds that the owner has no reason to assume the dog will bite unprovoked. This reduces the owner’s liability because they did not have “reasonable knowledge” of aggressive behavior. On the other hand, if a dog has a bite record, the owner has the responsibility to take proactive measures to prevent another bite from occurring.
The one-bite rule provides dog owners with some legal protection in the event of a serious dog bite. But there are exceptions to this rule. For example, a dog owner may be liable for a bite if their dog displays signs of aggression, such as:
- Growling or snarling
- Snapping
- Lunging at other people or animals
- Defensive barking
- Attempting to run from the owner to attack
Even if the dog has not bitten in the past, these aggressive indicators provide the owner with “reasonable knowledge” that their dog may bite.
Furthermore, even under the one-bite rule, the owner may be liable for your injury if they displayed negligent or reckless behavior, such as:
- Letting the dog off-leash in a public space
- Allowing small children to play with a dog unsupervised
- Provoking the dog with excessively rough play
- Failing to intervene if the dog becomes agitated or stressed
The laws surrounding dog bite injuries are complex, and the exact circumstances of your dog bite will play a significant role in whether or not the owner can be held liable for your injury. The best way to know who may be legally responsible for your dog bite is to discuss your case with an attorney. They will help you understand Indiana’s liability laws and your rights based on the details of your dog bite incident.
Risks of a Dog Bite Injury
Dog bites can cause serious injuries with a variety of possible complications and long-term health effects. The size of the dog and the type of bite typically determine the severity of your injuries. Dog bite injuries and illnesses include but are not limited to:
- Lacerations, puncture wounds, or torn skin
- Infection
- Rabies
- Tetanus
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
These common dog bite injuries may require immediate medical attention to prevent serious or even life-threatening complications. Some injuries require continued medical treatment and rehabilitation long after the dog bite occurs to recover fully.
The medical care necessary to treat a dog bite injury is often expensive. You should never have to sacrifice appropriate treatment because of the cost. Filing a dog bite injury claim could get you and your loved ones the financial support you need to manage your injury.
Contact Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one were bitten by a dog, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, and the Indiana injury attorneys at Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers are prepared to help. You have a limited time to file your claim after a dog bite, so take action as soon as possible. Start working on your case right now by calling Custy Law Firm | Accident & Injury Lawyers at (219) 286-7361 or filling out our online contact form.
