When bitten by someone else’s dog—say, for instance, a stranger walking their dog in the park—you may be wondering if you should take legal action. Whether you decide to pursue an injury lawsuit is up to you, but you can always choose to file some time after the incident took place. The statute of limitations for personal injury in Florida is four years from the date of the accident. In the meantime, however, there are certain measures you can take to ensure protecting your rights after a dog bite.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Seek Medical Attention
This might seem obvious, but it’s easy for people to try to logic with themselves about not seeking medical attention. With a dog bite, there is a particularly heightened danger with not seeing a doctor. You need to ask the owner of the dog if it’s up to date on rabies vaccinations. If you don’t find that out or get to the doctor and treat it preemptively, you run the risk of infection. It’s also common for there to be scarring, so if you leave your wounds untreated, you could be risking having serious disfigurement.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Collect Evidence
At the scene of the incident, you want to collect as much information as possible. You can take photos and videos of the scene and your injuries. You will want to talk to the owner and ask about rabies vaccinations, and if the dog has ever done this before. There may also be witnesses that you’ll want to get information from. When you’re there, you should call the police to file a report of the incident so they can collect information as well. You will be able to use all this evidence and information to strengthen your case.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Avoid the Insurance Company
There is going to be someone assigned to your case from the insurance company and their job is going to be to call you and get a recorded statement from you. What you need to know is that you have absolutely no legal obligation to speak to them. They might sound pleasant and helpful, but they’re trained to get answers from you that would make you sound at fault for the incident. To avoid getting yourself into a sticky situation, tell them that they can talk to your attorney if they have any questions.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Hire an Attorney
Hiring an attorney, as you may have gathered, is especially important to do if you want to have a successful case. They will protect you from the insurance company, fight for your right to compensation, and make sure everything stays on track to get you the best possible result. If you are looking for compensation for your injuries, please call our Tampa Bay dog bite attorneys today to set up a free consultation. We will make sure that you have the best chance possible to get the award you deserve.
Greg is co-founder of PERENICH Law and has been a forceful champion for the injured for more than 30 years. He is a lifelong resident of Pinellas County and was educated in public schools in Clearwater and Tarpon Springs.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Seek Medical Attention
This might seem obvious, but it’s easy for people to try to logic with themselves about not seeking medical attention. With a dog bite, there is a particularly heightened danger with not seeing a doctor. You need to ask the owner of the dog if it’s up to date on rabies vaccinations. If you don’t find that out or get to the doctor and treat it preemptively, you run the risk of infection. It’s also common for there to be scarring, so if you leave your wounds untreated, you could be risking having serious disfigurement.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Collect Evidence
At the scene of the incident, you want to collect as much information as possible. You can take photos and videos of the scene and your injuries. You will want to talk to the owner and ask about rabies vaccinations, and if the dog has ever done this before. There may also be witnesses that you’ll want to get information from. When you’re there, you should call the police to file a report of the incident so they can collect information as well. You will be able to use all this evidence and information to strengthen your case.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Avoid the Insurance Company
There is going to be someone assigned to your case from the insurance company and their job is going to be to call you and get a recorded statement from you. What you need to know is that you have absolutely no legal obligation to speak to them. They might sound pleasant and helpful, but they’re trained to get answers from you that would make you sound at fault for the incident. To avoid getting yourself into a sticky situation, tell them that they can talk to your attorney if they have any questions.
Protecting Your Rights After a Dog Bite | Hire an Attorney
Hiring an attorney, as you may have gathered, is especially important to do if you want to have a successful case. They will protect you from the insurance company, fight for your right to compensation, and make sure everything stays on track to get you the best possible result. If you are looking for compensation for your injuries, please call our Tampa Bay dog bite attorneys today to set up a free consultation. We will make sure that you have the best chance possible to get the award you deserve.
Greg is co-founder of PERENICH Law and has been a forceful champion for the injured for more than 30 years. He is a lifelong resident of Pinellas County and was educated in public schools in Clearwater and Tarpon Springs.