How Long do I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit?
Louisiana’s personal injury statute states how long you have to file a dog bite lawsuit. However, the statute of limitations is not the same for all dog bite cases.
For accidents that took place prior to July 1, 2024, victims have one year from the date of the incident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Victims of accidents that took place on July 1, 2024, or any date thereafter have two years to pursue compensation by filing a personal injury claim.
This is important: there are exceptions to this statute. If more than one year or two years have passed since your dog bite or the date that you discovered your injury, do not assume your case is ineligible. Speaking with our law firm will allow you to know for certain whether you have a case.
Coverage that Our Firm May be Able to Secure for You
We pursue financial coverage for victims of dog bites. If you or a loved one are such a victim, then we will fight for coverage for you. We will determine what your losses are by:
- Working directly with your doctors
- Asking you how your injuries have affected you
- Asking your loved ones how your injuries have affected you and them
- Collecting documentation of your losses
Dog bite victims may be entitled to a full financial recovery. This means that you may receive compensation for:
- Emergency treatment of your injuries
- Diagnostic procedures
- Any surgery you require
- Cosmetic procedures for your wounds
- Medication
- Psychological counseling for trauma
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
Dog bites can cause lasting trauma. You may develop a fear of dogs that negatively impacts your life. You could also develop conditions like generalized anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can directly interfere with your earning power and quality of life.
We Require no Upfront or Out-of-Pocket Compensation from You
You do not have to worry about the cost of hiring a lawyer when you work with our firm.
Our payment structure is a contingency fee—we require no up-front or out-of-pocket payments.
If you have cause to receive compensation, we will try your case. If we win, we secure a portion of your settlement. If we do not, then you do not pay us anything.
How We Build a Strong Case for Our Clients
From the moment that you hire us until we complete your case, we are in charge of your lawsuit or insurance claim. We allow you to focus on your recovery; you can leave the legal part to us. Some of the steps that we take to seek a positive outcome are:
- Gathering as much evidence as possible
- Organizing evidence in a way that supports your case
- Documenting your losses
- Computing a financial cost for your losses
- Completing all of your case-related paperwork
- Completing all case-related communications
- Making appearances on your behalf
- Engaging in settlement negotiations
- Completing a trial
The American Bar Association (ABA) explains that a settlement is the typical outcome of civil lawsuits. By settling, you do not have to worry about the time or effort that a trial requires. That said, we can also complete any necessary trial for our clients.
When Dog Bites Qualify as Negligence
There are specific laws and rules governing dog bite cases. However, dog owners are generally subject to the legal principle of negligence.
Those who own and care for dogs have a responsibility to others. They must take reasonable steps to protect you from harm, including the harm of a dog bite. A dog owner or other party may have been negligent if:
- They owed you a duty of care to protect you from a dog attack
- They did not live up to their duty of care
- Their breach of duty caused your dog bite to happen
- The dog bite caused you damages (e.g., financial losses)
We will make the case that negligence caused your injuries. When we make this case successfully, clients like you may recover compensation from the negligent party.
Specific Failures that Can Qualify as Negligence
Our team is prepared to learn the specifics of your case. We will interpret the facts of your dog bite to determine how and why you have been injured.
There are several types of dog owner actions that may be considered negligent. These actions include:
- Walking a dog without a leash
- Failing to properly secure a dog in an outdoor setting
- Failing to properly secure a dog in an indoor setting
- Failing to use a muzzle on a dog known to be dangerous
- Failing to warn you that a dog is dangerous
Call the Attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
We will explain how long you have to file a dog bite lawsuit and can file that lawsuit for you if you are eligible. Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (337) 777-7777 for a free case evaluation.
