Being bitten by someone else’s dog can have serious physical, psychological, and financial consequences. In this scenario, not only is it important to get the medical care you need, but it is also important to speak with a Columbus dog bite lawyer about your legal rights. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills and other losses—and, if you are, your lawyer can seek just compensation on your behalf while you focus on your recovery.
7 Steps to Take When You Think You May Have a Dog Bite Claim in Ohio
While you can—and should—rely on a Columbus dog bite lawyer to handle your insurance claim for you, there are several important steps that you need to take to protect your health and your legal rights as well. If you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, here are some of the key steps you should try to take as soon as possible:
1. Prioritize Your Physical and Psychological Health
First and foremost, you should prioritize your physical and mental health. Nerve damage, soft tissue damage, and bone fractures are all serious injuries that can have long-term consequences. Seeking treatment promptly will help minimize your risk of facing long-term consequences, so it is important that you see a doctor as soon after your dog attack as possible.
Going forward, it will be equally important to continue following your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion promptly, if necessary). Not only will this help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible, but it will also show the insurance companies that you are taking your recovery seriously. This is critical when seeking just compensation for your medical bills and other losses.
The same applies to getting the care you need for your mental health. If you have a dog bite claim, you can seek just compensation for all of your treatment costs (among other losses). Vicious dog attacks can cause serious trauma, and, in many cases, victims will need help to begin the process of moving on.
2. Take Photos, Videos, and Detailed Notes
Filing a successful dog bite claim requires evidence. While your Columbus dog bite lawyer will be able to conduct an investigation (as long as you hire a lawyer in time), there are steps you can take to help prove that you deserve to be fully and fairly compensated.
These steps include taking photos and videos to document the dog attack and your injuries. Take photos and videos to document your injuries and any damage to your clothes. If you took photos or videos at the scene of the attack, be sure to keep these to give to your lawyer as well.
You should also take detailed notes. Write down everything you can remember about the attack, even if it’s hard. Try to answer questions like:
- Where were you when the dog attacked?
- What were you doing when the dog attacked?
- Where did the dog come from?
- What breed was the dog?
- Where did the dog bite you? Did it knock you down?
- Do you know the dog’s owner?
- What did the dog’s owner say (if anything) before or after the attack?
These are just examples. If you can remember any details about the attack, you should write them down to discuss with your Columbus dog bite lawyer during your free initial consultation.
3. Learn About the Mistakes You Need to Avoid
Along with trying to take the steps on this list, if you have been bitten by a dog in Ohio, there are also some common mistakes you need to try to avoid. While these mistakes won’t necessarily prevent you from recovering just compensation, this is a possibility. Making these mistakes could also make it unnecessarily difficult to recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Some examples of all-too-common mistakes that can jeopardize your claim for just compensation after a dog attack include:
- Ignoring symptoms that may indicate the need for medical care
- Ignoring your doctor’s treatment advice
- Discounting the psychological effects of your dog attack
- Overlooking financial costs you are entitled to recover
- Overlooking your right to just compensation for your pain and suffering
- Overlooking potential sources of financial compensation
- Assuming that the insurance companies won’t pay the compensation you are owed
During your free initial consultation, your Columbus dog bite lawyer can walk you through everything you need to know about protecting your legal rights. To ensure that you don’t unknowingly make mistakes that could jeopardize your recovery, we recommend scheduling a free initial consultation as soon as possible.
4. Make Sure You Know What to Expect from Your Claim
If you are entitled to financial compensation for your dog bite, it is also important to make sure you know what to expect from your claim. In most cases, filing a dog bite claim involves dealing with the insurance companies.
Homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, and business insurance policies all typically cover dog bite liability. So, whether the dog’s owner is legally responsible for the attack or you were bitten by a dog at a kennel or another business, you will most likely have an insurance claim. As we said above, once you hire a Columbus dog bite lawyer to represent you, your lawyer can handle your insurance claim on your behalf.
Even if you are clearly entitled to file an insurance claim under the circumstances at hand, this doesn’t necessarily mean that securing an insurance payout or insurance settlement will be easy. In fact, it could be extremely difficult. The insurance companies routinely try to deny liability for dog bites. To recover the financial compensation you deserve, you will need to be able to prove not only that you have a dog bite claim, but also how much you deserve to recover for your injuries and other losses from the attack.
5. Start Keeping Track of the Financial and Non-Financial Consequences of the Attack
With this in mind, after you have been bitten by someone else’s dog, it is important to start keeping track of the financial and non-financial consequences of the attack. This means that you should try to start keeping documentation such as:
- Medical records from your initial diagnosis and ongoing treatment
- Medical bills and receipts
- Statements of benefits (SOBs) and other documents from your health insurance company
- Receipts for purchases of prescription drugs and medical supplies
- Employment records documenting your hours or days missed from work
- A daily “pain journal” documenting the effects of your injuries
- Any other documentation you receive related to the attack or your treatment
When you have a dog bite claim, the more evidence you have to prove your losses, the better. Your lawyer will be able to help here as well, so you shouldn’t worry if you don’t have any of the forms of documentation listed above. But, to make sure your lawyer is able to gather the evidence needed to pursue your claim as efficiently as possible, you will want to start the process right away.
6. Schedule a Free Consultation with a Columbus Dog Bite Lawyer
Starting the process means scheduling a free consultation to discuss your case in confidence. From explaining the process and answering your questions to walking you through the mistakes you need to avoid, there are several ways an experienced Columbus dog bite lawyer will be able to help you.
Your initial consultation is truly free—if you decide not to file a dog bite claim for any reason, you will owe nothing. If you decide to move forward with filing a claim after your initial consultation, your legal fees (if any) will be deducted from the amount your lawyer helps you recover.
7. Be Prepared to Work with Your Lawyer to Seek Just Compensation for Your Losses
This brings us to our last point: When you hire a Columbus dog bite lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will need you to remain actively involved in your case. While you should prioritize your physical and psychological recovery, you should also be prepared to work with your lawyer when necessary. For example, your lawyer may need your authorization to communicate with your doctors, or your lawyer may need to speak with you about a settlement offer that is on the table.
If you are dealing with serious injuries from a dog bite, at this stage, it is up to you to move forward. An experienced Columbus dog bite lawyer can help—but only if you get in touch. If you have questions about your legal rights after a dog attack in Ohio, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation today.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation with a Columbus Dog Bite Lawyer at Malek & Malek Law Firm
Would you like to discuss your legal rights with an experienced Columbus dog bite lawyer in confidence? If so, we are here for you. To schedule a free consultation as soon as possible, call us at 888-444-7440 or tell us how we can reach you online now.