At Saffren and Weinberg, Marc Alan Weinberg, Attorney and Kenneth Scott Saffren, Attorney are partners. The firm’s tagline is “The People’s Voice In Court.” They make themselves available via phone at (215) 309-9577 or by email on the Saffren and Weinberg website. Saffren and Weinberg provides a no-charge, complimentary case review and answers questions for prospective clients.
Is It Necessary to Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer if I Was Bitten by a Dog?
Dogs are known to be the most loyal best friends humans can ever have, but what happens if a dog bites you? The trauma can lead to physical damage and pain which could also cost you depending on the severity. Dog bites are pretty common and as per a report, only 1% of the people who are injured from a dog bite get compensated. So, the rest of the affected people don’t ever get compensated.
To make sure, you fall in the 1% category and not the latter, you should reach out to a lawyer in case you have a dog-bite injury so to speed up your claim process and at the same time give yourself complete rest to recover at the earliest.
Hiring a lawyer for your dog bite injury is not the same as suing the guilty party. The attorneys are aware of how to present your case to the insurance companies to help the victim recover their claim without having to go to court.
What are the options available if you’re injured by a dog bite?
You have a couple of options in such circumstances:
1. File an insurance claim with the insurance company of the dog’s owner as it the responsibility of the owner to reimburse you your medical expenses.
2. File a lawsuit for damages.
In both cases, a personal injury lawyer can help. But before you think of exercising any of these options, make sure you or the victim gets treatment.
Do you really need a dog bite lawyer?
Before hiring an attorney and taking it further, sum up your case and the injuries caused. For example, if you have minor injuries with no evidence of a serious attack, it would be completely futile to hire a lawyer as there would be not much to prove. On the other hand, if the dog attack is serious and the victim is severely injured, you should contact an attorney at the earliest.
Reasons you should hire a dog bite lawyer.
To help yourself manage the stress of injury and save time and effort makes hiring a dog bite lawyer a logical choice. Since laws differ in different states, it’s always a good idea to have an experienced attorney by your side. Though a dog bite injury is a common accident, you might have a number of questions that are best answered by an experienced lawyer.
Alternatively, this also holds true in case you are defending yourself against an injury that was caused by your pet dog. An experienced personal injury attorney will know how to strengthen your case and the arguments that can work in your favor and to avoid the ones that can go against you.
How to protect yourself as a dog owner?
There are a few things that you should keep in mind if you’re a dog owner. It will prevent you from the unnecessary trouble of defending yourself if a personal injury case is brought against you, the dog owner.
- As a dog owner make sure there are visible display signs about the presence of a dog/ dogs at your place.
- While you’re out, remember to keep a leash on your dog.
- Ensure the fencing is tall enough so that the dog can’t jump over and sturdy.
- Talk with your insurance provider regarding a dog bite insurance and sign up for one. It will help you tackle any contingencies that may arise in the future.
If someone files a charge against you, the insurance company will cover for it. They also hire dog bite attorney to defend your case.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a dog bite victim or a dog owner, depending on the severity of an attack, a dog bite lawyer is definitely recommended to help settle your claims and help you manage your health and financial stress better. You should never walk away from seeking professional help as dog bite lawyers know the state laws and are expert in their domain. If you or someone you know has been the unfortunate victim of a dog bite, talk to one of our personal injury attorney at 215-576-0100. Get all your queries answered with a free phone consultation.
Kenneth Saffren attorney photo