By Dan Makled on October 17th, 2022 in
What To Do After a Dog Bite
If you’ve been bitten or attacked by a dog, you may be unsure of what you need to do immediately following the bite—and later—to protect yourself, your health, and your future. What Should I Do If I Bitten by a Dog, you may ask yourself. Knowing what to do after a dog bite is extremely important and can affect you in many different ways. This is one of the primary reasons having personal injury attorney Dan Makled by your side can truly make a difference following the trauma of a dog bite. While it is normal that you may be shaken up after being bitten or attacked by a dog bite, try to remember the following:
- Seek Immediate Medical Attention—This is one of the most important things you can do. You may think your injuries are not that serious, or that you can treat a dog bite on your own. It’s always better to let a medical professional look at your bite. If you do not, you run the risk of infection, or even rabies if the dog that bit you cannot be found. A puncture wound may not seem severe but can result in damage to nerves, muscles, and blood vessels under the skin, infections from the bacteria that live in the mouth of virtually all dogs, tetanus, scarring, and even death in some cases. Seeking medical attention quickly after being bit by a dog can make a difference in your claim for damages. If you fail to seek medical attention the insurance company may say it was because your injuries were not severe.
- Contact the Proper Authorities—If possible, identify the dog’s owner and exchange information, then file a dog bite report with the property city or county authorities. If you are not sure who to notify, simply call 911 and describe the incident. The police or animal control may be sent to take your report. Having a report legally documents the incident, and without a paper trail, authorities are unable to enforce statutes and laws pertaining to animal bites and attacks.
- Document the Details of the Attack—Once you have contacted the proper authorities and sought medical attention for your injuries, write down every single detail you can remember about the bite or attack. If you have located the dog’s owner, obtain information regarding the dog—which veterinarian has seen the dog and whether it is up-to-date on shots. Take photographs of your injuries, and make sure to keep any torn or bloody clothing from the incident. Take a photograph of the scene of the dog bite or attack to show that you were legally on the property where you were bitten.
- Follow All Medical Advice—Make sure you carefully follow the medical advice from your doctor or the ER doctor. If you are asked to return in a few days, do so. It is important that you clearly follow all instructions from the doctor so the insurance company cannot later say that your injuries worsened because you did not follow medical advice.
- Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney—As soon as you are home, take the time to contact an experienced dog bite attorney. You will look for personal injury attorneys in your area, then make sure that the attorney you choose has experience helping those who have been bitten or attacked by a dog.
You may be hesitant to report the dog bite to the authorities because you don’t want to get the dog or its owner in trouble. Unfortunately, you simply cannot worry about this. The dog may have been others or may be likely to bite in the future. The owner of the dog will need to ensure that proper precautions are put into place to ensure another person is not bitten. Reporting the incident also ensures that local animal control will determine whether the dog has had its rabies shots. If the dog has not been vaccinated, then the authorities will test the dog for rabies. This could potentially save you from having to have a series of extremely painful shots to ensure you do not contract rabies and that you get the treatments you need.
Having the incident on record will also help if you decide to file a dog bite claim down the road. Perhaps your medical expenses are adding up to much more than you anticipated, or you are having ongoing pain or emotional trauma as a result of the dog bite or attack. You may be unable to return to work, therefore, unable to pay your normal monthly expenses. When everything that occurred is well-documented, your attorney is much more likely to be able to secure a fair settlement on your behalf.
Once you file a formal report, the dog will usually be allowed to remain in the owner’s custody while the authorities investigate. If it turns out that the dog has bitten before, it may be required to be turned over to animal control. If the dog is deemed a significant threat to others, it may be euthanized; otherwise, the dog will be returned to its owner.
How Personal Injury Attorney Dan Makled Can Help
If you are wondering what to do after a dog bite, attorney Dan Makled is ready to help you through this difficult time. The Dan Makled Law Firm has a history of providing quality representation to injury victims, along with exemplary customer service. Dan will never hesitate to go to trial on your behalf if the insurance company refuses to agree to a full and fair settlement. In fact, Dan thrives in the trial arena and is always 100 percent prepared for trial.
This means that no matter what sort of twists and turns come his way, Dan is prepared to deal with them in a way that will benefit you. At the Dan Makled Law Firm, we only take personal injury claims, rather than “dabbling” in many different areas of law. This makes him extremely knowledgeable and highly skilled in working with adjustors and insurance companies. Because Dan worked with insurance companies on the defense side early in his career, he knows how they think, and how your claim will be perceived and handled.
Few personal injury lawyers have this level of experience. Attorney Dan Makled understands that many accident victims feel bullied by big insurance companies. This will never happen to you when you have the Dan Makled Law Firm on your side. From the moment we are on your case, you have a strong advocate who always “has your back,” and will ensure you receive the settlement you deserve. Contact the Dan Makled Law Firm today.
