If you suffered harm due to a dog attack, you might be wondering what damages you could recover in a dog bite lawsuit. Generally, you could recover various damages, including but not limited to:
- Medical costs and future expenses
- Lost income and future loss of income
- Reimbursement for any property damage sustained in the attack
- Awards for pain and suffering
- Awards for emotional distress
- Permanent disability
- Permanent disfigurement
The amount and types of compensation you could receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and other damages. For example, if you had serious injuries, steep medical expenses, significant income losses, and property damage due to a dog attack, your settlement could be larger than that of someone who suffered only minor injuries in a dog attack. A personal injury lawyer can inform you about the potential worth of your case.
What to Do After a Dog Bite Injury
Even if you have only a few scratches after a dog attack, you should visit a doctor immediately to take care of your wounds. Unfortunately, injuries from dog bites can get infected easily, so proper and prompt wound care and disinfection can be extremely important. You may also wish to receive tetanus or rabies inoculations, depending on the circumstances of the attack.
Dog attacks can also cause emotional injuries. Some dog attack victims develop anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
If you have suffered physical and emotional injuries, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible. Reports detailing your physical and emotional injuries can help you recover damages in a dog bite lawsuit.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You
If you or a loved one suffered significant harm in a dog attack, you could potentially go after the dog owner and recover compensation. A personal injury lawyer can help you build a case against the negligent owner and fight for what you deserve.
Ways in which your attorney can help can include:
- Investigating the scene of the accident and collecting evidence
- Building your case against the negligent dog owner
- Calculating your damages and organizing documents to prove your losses
- Handling the paperwork required for filing a lawsuit
- Communicating with the dog owner’s insurance company and negotiating an out-of-court settlement, if possible
- Fighting for your best interests at trial
The sooner you get in touch with an attorney after you suffered a dog bite, the sooner they can get to work on building your case and pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Time Limits on Dog Bite Lawsuits
Consider that CC §3492 generally gives claimants only one short year to file a personal injury lawsuit and recover their due. Acting quickly can, therefore, be crucial for recovering damages in a dog bite lawsuit. While there can be some rare exceptions, you could be prohibited from filing a lawsuit after the statute has run out.
The Attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Can Help Recover What You Deserve
Proving a dog bite claim in Louisiana is not necessarily as straightforward as in other states, as you will have to prove that the owner did not take reasonable care to control their dog. To recover damages, you will also have to prove, with relevant evidence, that the owner’s failure to control the dog caused your injuries.
However, you do not have to go through this on your own. Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers are here to help and can build a comprehensive case against the negligent dog owner, leaving no stone unturned to help you recover the damages you deserve. Get help today and call us for a free consultation at (337) 777-7777.
