Dog bites can range from minor to deadly, and everything else in between. One thousand Americans require emergency care from dog bites every day. And each year, 15,000 people are admitted to hospitals for medical care after a dog bite. And that’s not even taking into consideration those who neglected to seek medical care for their dog bites.

Being bit by a dog — whether it’s a stranger’s pet or the dog of an acquaintance — is a jarring experience. Dogs can cause great bodily harm, even death, and injuries can escalate to more serious internal infections. A dog bite injury could prevent you from doing physical activities, like household chores. Some serious injuries could even leave you out of work and unable to pay bills. Some people need cosmetic surgery after a dog bite.

After a dog bite, you need to be sure to get the medical care you need, while also ensuring your rights are protected as a dog bite victim.

So, if you’re wondering what to do if you’ve been bit by a dog, keep reading to learn more about the steps you need to take for treating your wounds, filing insurance claims, and getting the proper care and compensation to which you’re entitled.

If you have been bit by a dog, here are the most important things you need to do in the aftermath to ensure your safety, health, and rights are protected.

Exchange Information With the Owner of the Dog

After the dog bite, get away from the animal to a safe spot. Then, much like with a car or motorcycle accident, exchange information with the owner of the dog. You will want to collect the person’s name, address, phone number, their veterinarian’s name, and any other pertinent contact information. You will also want to ask the owner for proof of the dog’s rabies vaccination, and later on, you can also contact the dog’s vet to verify the animal’s vaccines.

Collect Information From Witnesses Of the Incident

After you exchange information with the dog’s owner, get the contact information of any witnesses that were present at the scene of the dog bite. Witnesses can help you provide an account for what happened, which will be essential should there be a lawsuit over the dog bite, or even for filing the insurance claim.

Take Photos Of the Dog Bite

If you’ve been bit by a dog, you will want to take photos of the injury. Take photos as soon as you can, including before and after medical treatment, and continue to take photos as your wound heals. The purpose of taking photos is to document the extent of the dog bite, which will be useful when you file an insurance claim or go to court.

Seek Medical Attention for the Dog Bite

After you have been bit by a dog, have exchanged contact information, and have taken photos of the injury, be sure to seek medical treatment.

If the wound is severe, contact first responders or have someone take you to the emergency department. Even if you don’t think you need medical care, it is always a good idea to get a dog bite examined by a medical professional.

The risks of not going to the doctor are too big. You need to rule out the possibility that the dog has rabies. And because of the bacteria found in dogs’ mouths, an infection can develop in the wound. Medical professionals can ensure the wound is properly cleaned, closed, and dressed, and help prevent an infection.

Lastly, seeking medical attention is critical to establishing a paper trail after a dog bite. The documentation will help you as you move forward with an insurance claim.

Document the Experience

Documentation of your entire ordeal is critical to getting the care you deserve. Documentation can include photos, written statements, medical records, police records, and more. For these reasons, you may want to also file a police report on the dog bite in addition to a calling to your local animal control office.

Taking photos of the dog bite wound is not the only documentation you’ll need. After the dog bite, be sure to write down a statement of the incident. Include as many details as you can of the dog bite and the events leading up to it. This is critical to do as soon as possible, as details may slip from memory over time.

Document the effects of the dog bite, including any pain and suffering that you may experience, or decreased mobility. Depending on the severity of the bite, you may also be limited or unable to perform certain functions as you recover from your wound, like household chores or even your job. These should also be documented.

Know Your Rights After a Dog Bite

Sometimes victims of a dog bite will be reluctant to file an insurance claim. They don’t want to make a scene. They don’t want to cause economic hardship for the pet owner. And if the pet owner if a friend, family member, or neighbor, there can be expectations to settle things without insurance. They may offer to pay your medical bills and even ask you to not file a claim, contact the police, or call animal control.

But filing an insurance claim after a dog bite is critical to ensuring you get the care you need. In Minnesota, dog owners are held responsible for bites, unless the individual who was bitten was not acting peaceably or was breaking the law. As long as those don’t apply to you, you have every right to file an insurance claim after a dog bite.

File an Insurance Claim

Most dog bites are covered in homeowners’ insurance policies. Even if the dog bite did not occur within the dog owner’s home, perhaps at a park or other public place, most policies still cover dog bites. If the dog bite occurred in a vehicle, the dog owner’s car insurance may cover the bite.

If the owner has already had other claims filed against the dog for bites, attacks, or injuries, the insurance company may not pay to cover a subsequent bite. Some insurance policies don’t cover specific dog breeds, such as pit bulls and Rottweilers. If the owner of the dog does not have home or auto insurance, you are entitled to take legal action. Without it, you may have to bear the burden of all medical costs and lost wages alone.

Speak With an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

Consider speaking with a personal injury attorney if you’ve been bit by a dog. An attorney can help you navigate the complicated insurance system if you’re recovering from a dog bite. While we’d all like to think that insurance companies have our best interests at heart and will protect us when we need them most, the sympathetic insurance company is a myth. Instead, insurance companies underpay on claims in order to be profitable.

A personal injury attorney who is experienced in dog bite cases can be a useful ally to you and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company to get you your full benefits. And they can go head to head with the insurance companies to make sure you get what you need.

Personal injury attorneys are experts at navigating the insurance system, which is excessively complicated by design. Attorneys can advocate for you with their knowledge and expertise of dog bite compensation. Whether through insurance claims, settlements, or lawsuits, personal injury attorneys can help you understand local laws for dog bites and get a fair settlement.

Attorneys know the tactics and techniques insurance companies use to try to underpay claims. They can help you get the compensation you’re entitled to after a dog bite, including medical expenses, lost or reduced wages, and pain and suffering.

Attorneys negotiate with insurance companies to get you a fair settlement. If a fair settlement cannot be reached, the case goes to court. And for most personal injury lawyers, insurance claims are handled on contingency, meaning you don’t need to pay anything upfront. And you won’t pay anything out of pocket either.

Have You Suffered From a Dog Bite?

Weston Law Office helps people in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the greater Twin Cities suburbs get the care and compensation they need following a dog bite or animal attack. We work with your insurance company to negotiate a fair settlement for your medical bills, pain, suffering, and lost wages.

Get the full benefits to which you’re entitled. Contact us today about how we can help you reach a fair settlement on your dog bite insurance claim. Consultations are 100% free and we handle insurance claims on contingency, costing you nothing out of pocket. The only risk is not getting the care you need.

Sources:
https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics.php
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/347.22
https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/dog-bite-emergencies

The post What to Do If You’ve Been Bitten by a Dog appeared first on Weston Law Office.

But at times, these beloved canines take that devotion to a dangerous level and injure an innocent victim. According to the CDC, 4.5 million dog bites occur each year. If this happens with your dog, your initial reactions may be to panic or refuse to believe what took place. ‘How could this happen?’ ‘Spot has never done this before!’ ‘Will he be euthanized?,’ may be just some of the thoughts that race through your mind.

In order to be a conscientious dog owner, it’s important to understand local laws and rules in Minnesota for dog owners.

These are a few of the questions we will analyze in detail in this article:

• What should I do if my dog bit someone?
• What are the laws on dog bites in Minnesota?
• Am I liable if my dog bites someone?
• What if they were provoked?
• Is it always my fault?

What should I do if my dog bit someone?

If you find yourself in this dreaded situation, your focus and concern should always be on the victim. Whether you are outside or in the home, remain calm and secure the dog. If you are outdoors and the dog is on leash, take control of the situation as quickly as possible and move the dog away from the victim. If the dog is off leash—for example, at a dog park, it is critical you secure the dog on a leash immediately, so as to avoid an attack on additional victims.

If it is not possible to secure an unleashed dog, call animal control and/or 911. If the incident took place in the home, move the animal to a safe place such as a crate in order to focus your attention on caring for the victim, cleaning the wound and calling for medical care if necessary.

Next, obtain your pet’s medical records as soon as you can. Proof of a rabies vaccine will need to be on hand. And although it may be distressing, call animal control to notify them of the event.

What are the laws on dog bites in Minnesota?

Since there’s so many different factors with a dog bite case, there’s a number of important Minnesota laws that will affect your situation. Let’s look at each part of Minnesota statutes 347.50 to 347.56 in order to know how your case might turn out. One of the first thing these statutes address is whether your dog is considered a dangerous dog or a potentially dangerous dog.

According to subdivision 2 of the statute, the expression a “dangerous dog” means any dog that has:

(1) without provocation, inflicted substantial bodily harm on a human being on public or private property;

(2) killed a domestic animal without provocation while off the owner’s property; or

(3) been found to be potentially dangerous, and after the owner has notice that the dog is potentially dangerous, the dog aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans or domestic animals.

Subdivision 3 defines a potentially dangerous dog as any dog that:

(1) when unprovoked, inflicts bites on a human or domestic animal on public or private property;

(2) when unprovoked, chases or approaches a person, including a person on a bicycle, upon the streets, sidewalks, or any public or private property, other than the dog owner’s property, in an apparent attitude of attack; or

(3) has a known propensity, tendency, or disposition to attack unprovoked, causing injury or otherwise threatening the safety of humans or domestic animals.

Notice that these definitions differ based mostly on the dog’s actions—that a dangerous dog is one that has already attacked, despite being unprovoked and has inflicted substantial harm; whereas a potentially dangerous dog manifests traits showing the possibility of an unprovoked attack.

What do you need to do to legally own a dangerous dog? According to information published by Research Department of the Minnesota House of Representatives, these must be registered with the local animal control authority and owners must pay an annual fee of up to $500 in addition to any regular licensing fees. They also must meet several conditions, showing an animal control authority that:

• The owner has a proper enclosure with a warning sign and symbol
• The owner has either a surety bond or liability insurance in an amount of at least $300,000 to cover any personal injuries inflicted by the dog
• The dangerous dog has had a microchip implanted

After the dangerous dog is registred, an owner needs to make sure that they do the following:

• keep the dog in a proper enclosure while on the owner’s property and muzzle the dog while off the property
• renew registration annually
• within 30 days, notify animal control of the death of the dog or its transfer to a new location
• pay for the sterilization of the dog
• before renting property, inform the property owner of the dog
• if transferring the dog, notify the new owner that the dog is identified as dangerous and inform animal control of the new owner

So does that mean that there are no exceptions to these “dangerous dog” requirements? No. A dog is not subject to registration if it is:

• used by law enforcement officials
• if it attacked a person trespassing on the owner’s premises
• was provoked or abused at the time of the attack or repeatedly before the attack
• attacked a person committing or attempting to commit a crime.

Minnesota statutes also establish that liability isn’t only based on just the dog and its behavior. Statute 347.50, Subdivision 4 begins to show the owner might be responsible in dog bite cases by providing a suitable enclosure for the dog.

Subdivision 4 reads:  “Proper enclosure” means securely confined indoors or in a securely enclosed and locked pen or structure suitable to prevent the animal from escaping and providing protection from the elements for the dog. A proper enclosure does not include a porch, patio, or any part of a house, garage, or other structure that would allow the dog to exit of its own volition, or any house or structure in which windows are open or in which door or window screens are the only obstacles that prevent the dog from exiting.”

As you can see, the law requires that the dog is kept somewhere that is more than merely a section of the owner’s property. It needs to be in a secure structure that the dog can’t escape from. If not, the owner would be liable for the dog’s behavior.

Am I liable if my dog bites someone?

You might think that the owner of a dog that attacks someone would naturally be the one responsible. But who might be considered the “owner” of the dog in the eyes of the law? Is it simply the homeowner of the property where the dog resides? Subdivision 5 of Statute 347.50 clears that up for us. It reads, “Owner” means any person, firm, corporation, organization, or department possessing, harboring, keeping, having an interest in, or having care, custody, or control of a dog.” In other words, it’s beyond merely the person who bought the dog, who owns the property, or who feeds it and cares for it—as we look closely, it could be any of these people.

Understanding this definition of “owner” has a huge impact when establishing liability from a dog bite. This is because Minnesota law places the responsibility on the “owner” if the dog bit someone who was acting peacefully and not provoking the dog. Notice that Minnesota statute 347.21 declares that, “If a dog, without provocation, attacks or injures any person who is acting peaceably in any place where the person may lawfully be, the owner of the dog is liable in damages to the person so attacked or injured to the full amount of the injury sustained. The term “owner” includes any person harboring or keeping a dog but the owner shall be primarily liable.”

So technically speaking, whoever was in possession of the dog might be considered the “owner” and therefore the one liable if the dog bit someone without provocation.

What if they were provoked?

But what is provocation? Minnesota statute 347.50, subdivision 8 says, “Provocation” means an act that an adult could reasonably expect may cause a dog to attack or bite.” Naturally, it would be a strike against the person bitten if they were doing something to cause the dog to bite them.

As we can see after examining these Minnesota statutes, not every dog bite is a clear-cut situation. Rather, liability will depend on many factors: whether the dog is determined to be a “dangerous dog” or a “potentially dangerous dog”, whether the dog was kept in a suitable enclosure, and whether the person that bitten was doing something to provoke the dog into attacking them. After examining all of these legal factors, one thing is clear: if your dog bit someone, don’t try and go about handling this stressful, complicated situation alone. Weston Law Office wants to help you by offering their keen insight and experience in dealing with cases just like yours.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

The post Minnesota Dog Bite Laws: Dog Rules in the Twin Cities appeared first on Weston Law Office.

Statistics like these clearly show that not all dogs are four-legged friends. Rather, having a run-in with a dog can be a serious, life-changing event for us or a loved one. So when this occurs, people need to be informed as to what steps to take and what sort of compensation might be owed them. Questions such as, “Can I sue to cover my medical bills?” or, “Can I sue for the trauma I experienced?” flash through the minds of dog bite victims as they realize the gravity of the situation.

What about you? Let’s delve into the matter to establish what you can do if you’re bitten by a dog.

Can I sue if a dog bites me?

Let’s get straight to the point: if a dog bites you or a loved one, you may be able to sue for compensation. How can you be sure? Because there is a specific law on dog bites in Minnesota, one that is clearly favorable to dog bite victims.

That law we are referring to is Minnesota Statute 347.22. Regarding the legal liability of a dog owner if their dog bites someone, it says, “If a dog, without provocation, attacks or injures any person who is acting peaceably in any place where the person may lawfully be, the owner of the dog is liable in damages to the person so attacked or injured to the full amount of the injury sustained.”

As you can see, Minnesota law requires the owner of the dog that bites you to be held legally responsible and fully compensate you for your injuries, so long as you were acting peacefully and not provoking the dog, as well as having been in a place that you were legally allowed to be when you were bitten. It’s also noteworthy that a dog bite case in 1978 has shown that compensation may also be owed to a dog bite victim if there was negligence found on the part of the owner of the dog.

So if you have been bit by a dog, what should you do? The next section answers that question.

What steps should I take if I’ve been bitten by a dog?

Maybe you love dogs and think the world of them. Or maybe you think of yourself as tough and rarely go to the doctor. Regardless of who you are, it’s crucial to seek medical attention from the dog bite; in fact, what might appear to be mild injuries can have life-altering results if ignored and not treated in a timely fashion. Some think that because it wasn’t a wild animal that bit them, they don’t have to worry about major problems—“it was just a dog”, they reason, maybe one they see every day. However, major health threats such as infections and diseases are commonly caused by dog bites. The CDC report mentioned at the outset also included numerous injuries that are regularly treated at hospitals from dog bites, such as punctures, lacerations, contusions/abrasions/hematomas, cellulitis/infections, and even amputations/avulsions/crushes and fractures/dislocations. These can be serious, life-threatening injuries and require medical treatment.

Another key step you should take is report the incident to the police and animal control. This is important to officially document the incident in order for an investigation to be made into the liability of the case.

Aside from getting the medical attention you need, and reporting the incident, it’s also wise to have personal documentation of the attack as well. This would include getting statements and contact information from any witnesses to the attack, taking photos of the scene of the attack, the dog and its surroundings, as well as documenting any injuries that you sustained with photos, videos or other means. You may have suffered bites, bruises or scratches from the dog itself. But don’t forget things such as scrapes from being knocked to the ground should also be documented in order to have evidence of all that transpired.

Last, but definitely not least: obtain the correct legal representation. Why? To put it simply: for you to get what you deserve. Even though these cases can be common, don’t think they are simple or easy. There are many steps that need to be handled correctly; otherwise, they can cause you to be denied some or all of the compensation that you deserve. For example, insurance adjusters may want to take a statement from you right away, skillfully asking questions to get certain responses out of you—responses they can later use to try to deny responsibility.

As you can see, when you’re bitten by a dog, it’s a serious matter with major consequences. For example, medical bills can quickly grow. Let’s take a look at those statistics.

How much could medical attention cost from a dog bite?

Yes, dog bites can be quite common in the United States. But even though they occur every day, don’t make the mistake of assuming they are cheap.

In fact, in 2019 alone, $797 million was paid out in homeowner’s insurance liability claims for dog bites, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

And claims continue to pay out more on average; the same insurance information source just referenced also noted that “the average cost per claim nationally has risen 134 percent from 2003 to 2019, due to increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs.”

Healthcare costs are certainly no small change, as reported by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). They reported that the average cost of a dog bite-related stay at the hospital to be $18,200. But is that just the going rate for an average hospital stay? Not according to the same report: those that had to stay in a hospital from a dog bite accumulated about 50 percent higher medical bills than the average injury-related hospital stay.

Who might be responsible if a dog bites me?

Interestingly, the person responsible for a dog bite attack might not even be their owner. The same Minnesota statute referenced earlier clarifies this subject for us. It says, “The term “owner” includes any person harboring or keeping a dog but the owner shall be primarily liable.”

Therefore, the person responsible isn’t necessarily just the person who technically owns the dog, although they are the person primarily responsible. The law names the person who is keeping the dog at the time that the dog bit you as the person who could possibly be responsible as well.

However, could you be owed more than just medical bill compensation?

For what might I be compensated from the dog bite?

While there are variations and unique circumstances surrounding each case, it’s important to note that being bitten by a dog can involve much more than just medical expenses. Why? Because suffering from a dog attack can affect a person’s entire life, not only their healthcare costs. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average nationwide amount paid out for a dog bite claim in 2019 was $44,760. However, remember that the average hospital bill for a dog-related stay was $18,200 — less than half the amount for an average payout. Clearly, there’s more involved than just having your medical bills paid. Let’s take a look at different reasons why financial compensation may be owed to you from a dog bite:

• Medical bills easily can reach tens of thousands of dollars. Everything from stitches to reconstructive surgery may be needed, depending on the severity of the attack.
• Lost wages may be the result of having to stay in the hospital. According to the HCUP study referenced earlier, the average dog-related stay in a hospital is 3.3 days; however, that’s not to say you’ll be back to work on day four—you may have to miss work for weeks or even months.
• Future medical expenses such as ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation may continue to be necessary for some time to come.
• Permanent scarring may be the result of the attack.
• Permanent disability can irreversibly change your life, affecting your ability to provide for your family.
• Emotional damage may be the unseen result of the attack, triggering anxiety and panic attacks.

Please bear in mind this is not an exhaustive list; however, countless victims of dog attacks have all had to endure some or all of the above consequences of a dog biting them at no fault of their own, thus being legally entitled to financial compensation. Our dog bite lawyers can help you with any of these options of financial compensation.

To summarize: If there’s one thing to take away from this article, it’s that you need someone skilled in dog bite cases on your side—someone who knows how to receive the justice and compensation you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Related Blog Articles

What to Do If You’ve Been Bitten by a Dog
Minnesota Dog Bite Laws: Dog Rules in the Twin Cities

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