Injured By A Dog? Know When You Should Hire Legal Assistance
Posted on: 2 January 2019
Dog bite injuries can happen to anybody when they least expect it, and some can even require you to seek immediate medical attention to treat the injury. However, you may be wondering if you are entitled to legal compensation and if you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to fight on your behalf. Here are some tips to help decide if you need to hire a personal injury lawyer to assist with your case.
What Was The Temperament Of The Dog?
One thing you want to consider was the scenario where you were bitten by the dog, which includes their temperament of the dog. Ask yourself if you think the dog was just excited and trying to play, or if the dog was acting aggressively toward you. There are definitely signs that can tell you what the dog's temperament was at the time. Dogs that are excited will have a perky attitude, wag their tail, and jump out of excitement and wanting to meet you. Unfortunately, through this behavior, the dog may cause an injury due to their size and strength.
While you can pursue legal action against a friendly dog that was overly excited, know that there can be consequences of doing so. It is possible that the dog will be taken away from their owner, and in some states, euthanized for their actions. This is because states have rules regarding dog bite incidents, where even a single bite can lead to a dog being euthanized for being too dangerous to others.
Meanwhile, an aggressive temperament could result in you wanting to pursue legal action. When the dog growls at you and attacks you unprovoked, legal action may be something you desire to ensure that the dog does not hurt another person.
Did You Provoke The Dog?
The dog may have demonstrated aggressive behavior, but you must consider if you provoked the dog in any way. That's because provocation could cause you to lose your personal injury case, potentially causing you to lose on the legal fees associated with it. Ask yourself if you scared or startled the dog in any way. This includes stepping on the dog's tail or paw, even if by accident. If so, you may have to take responsibility for your actions that caused the dog bite to happen.
When in doubt, reach out to a personal injury lawyer for a consultation. They'll ask you questions about your case and decide if it is worth moving forward with a lawsuit.
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