Several reasons might force you to take legal action after a canine attack. First, it will give you financial assistance to foot your attack-related expenses. Additionally, suing the person responsible for the attack might prevent such an incident from happening to someone else. However, you can only achieve this if you take the right legal steps. This is why seeking legal advice on handling your lawsuit is advisable. For instance, you need to ask an attorney the following questions to enable you to make a successful claim.
What Should You Do Right After the Attack?
If a dog scratches or bites you, seek medication immediately to minimize the risks of infections and other health complications. Then, gather any useful evidence that can be helpful should you wish to pursue a claim for your injuries. This includes photographs of your injury before treatment and the canine that attacked you. You also need to get the dog owner's contact details or the person walking the canine. In addition, get contact details of people who saw the incident and preserve medical records and financial reports indicating loss of earnings. Ultimately, this information will help your attorney build a strong claim if it becomes necessary to take legal action.
Are You Eligible to Sue?
You only have a right to sue the person responsible for the attack if they were negligent. For instance, you can take legal action against the wrongdoer if a canine bit or scratched you because the wrongdoer failed to contain or secure the animal correctly. However, if the attack happened when you were illegally on someone's property or vehicle, you might not have the right to take legal action. You may also have no right to sue if the canine attacked you after provoking them. Therefore, you need to explain the circumstances of your attack to your attorney so that they can determine whether or not you're eligible to sue. If you are, they will take the necessary measures to ensure you get justice.
Should You Hire an Attorney?
Most wrongdoers in dog attack claims seek legal advice and assistance when victims sue them. Note that this lets them know the defenses they can use to refute claims and avoid paying compensation. So, when the wrongdoer in your case does this, you might get less payment or even fail to get compensation for your injuries. This is why it is advisable to hire a lawyer to handle your claim. This is because they will help you build a rock-solid case proving that the defendant was fully responsible for the attack.
Contact a dog bite attorney for advice if you're planning to take legal action after a canine attack. Then ask them the questions above to know how to handle your claim.
For more information, reach out to a personal injury lawyer near you.
