Most people think of dogs as man's best friend. But even a domesticated dog can fall back into its wild nature from time to time. If you get attacked by a dog that does not belong to you, you might be able to get some financial restitution for your injuries, but only if you are smart about it. Here are 3 things you should do after suffering a dog bite in order to increase the chances of getting a financial settlement.
Take Photographs of the Wounds Prior to Treatment if Possible
If you are seriously injured by a dog, you are obviously going to want to get medical attention as soon as possible. But if the injury is not life threatening, you should make it a priority to document the injury before it is treated. After you have made the appropriate phone calls to the authorities, you'll likely have a few minutes before anyone arrives to help. Use this time wisely to photograph your injury and the scene of the dog bite if possible. If you are in too much pain to do any of this yourself, try and get someone else to take the photographs for you.
Get Your Doctor To Put All Of Your Treatment In Writing
In order to get a financial settlement after suffering a dog bite, you'll likely have to demonstrate that the bite has caused you significant pain or ongoing anguish. The best way to demonstrate this is through an official medical report from your doctor. Ask your doctor for a copy of any notes they make about your treatment so this information can be submitted in court if necessary.
Hire a Dog Bite Attorney
As soon as you decide that you want to seek financial compensation for the dog bite, you need to lawyer up. A professional dog bite attorney will have likely dealt with dozens or even hundreds of other cases just like yours and will know the best practices to follow in order to get you the largest payout possible. Hiring a dog bite attorney has multiple benefits. One, the dog owner's insurance company will know that you mean business if they are contacted by an attorney, and this could lead to a bigger settlement in order to avoid a lawsuit. Second, a dog bite attorney can do all of the heavy lifting for you, like returning to the scene of the bite and interviewing the dog owner's neighbors or any other witnesses so you don't have to.
If you are the victim of a dog bite, make sure you take steps to properly document the bite itself and the medical treatment that follows. In order to maximize your financial restitution, contact a dog bite attorney today or visit websites like http://www.danielgoodmanlaw.com for more information.
