Washington’s civil statutes state that dog owners must immediately assume legal responsibility for their dogs’ behaviors. This means that if a dog attacks you, you have the right to ask a Seattle dog bite lawyer to help you pursue damages based on your losses. Your pursuit of damages can help you pay for the treatments you need to recover from your injuries.
Premier Law Group brings over 55 years of combined legal experience to your pursuit of damages after an accident involving an out-of-control dog.
You can count on our Seattle personal injury lawyers to take your losses seriously. We can mediate with insurance companies on your behalf while simultaneously preparing you to take your fight for support to court.
Premier Law Group: big enough to win, small enough to care.
What Should You Do After a Dog Bite?
If you’re attacked by a dog, your health needs to be your first priority. If it is not safe for you to remain at the scene, and if you need immediate medical treatment, call 911. If you’re not in the state to do so, have someone in the vicinity get in touch with emergency responders right away.
If it’s safe for you to remain at the scene and you’re not seriously injured, do not interact with the dangerous dog. Instead, see if you can document the dog owner’s name and phone number without putting yourself in harm’s way. You can also speak with witnesses and ask for their contact information and a brief statement about your accident.
Even if you’re not seriously injured after a dog attack, it’s still in your best interest to have your bite wound examined as soon as possible.
You do not want bacteria to settle in and put your health at risk. Make sure to keep track of any documentation relevant to your injuries, as you may later use those to argue for compensation based on your losses.
What Information does a Seattle Dog Bite Lawyer Need to Pursue Justice in Your Name?
You have the right to contact a Seattle dog bite attorney immediately following an incident with an out-of-control dog. While attorneys can conduct an independent investigation into your losses, you can support that investigation by providing your representative with information like:
- When and where the attack took place
- The dog owner’s name and contact information
- Photographs of the dog, if available
- A police report describing the incident
- Medical reports going into detail about your injuries
An attorney must be able to identify a dog’s owner to pursue legal action in your name. Otherwise, you won’t have anyone to sue for the damages you deserve.
What Evidence Can You Use to Argue for Dog Bite Compensation?
Once you’ve established the baseline facts describing the attack you endured, our team can work with experienced investigators to bring forward additional data that can elaborate on your right to legal action. The evidence we use to make your case may include:
- Forensic analyses of the accident scene
- Behavioral analyses of the dog attack
- Surveillance footage from nearby buildings and/or security cameras
- Analyses of physical debris and any relevant environmental damage
- Statements from expert witnesses and/or other dog bite victims
- Input from medical professionals about your need for long-term treatments
This evidence can also play a dual role in your recovery. We can use it, alongside medical bills, treatment invoices, prescription costs, and physical therapy expenses, to argue that you deserve compensation for the pain you suffered. We can even account for the value of your non-economic losses, including your emotional distress and post-traumatic stress.
We want to make a point to maximize the damages you take away from a dog bite accident case. Our team believes that you shouldn’t have to suffer financially as a result of someone else’s negligence.
What Can You Do if a Dog Owner doesn’t Recognize Your Right to Accident Damages?
Many dog owners will acknowledge an instance where they lost control of their dog and put the public at risk for harm. These owners may agree to pay you the damages you deserve right away. However, most dog owners want to defend their pets and themselves from the financial fallout of an accident.
As such, a dog owner may try to deny you the financial support you deserve or even blame you for your own accident. These counter-accusations of fault don’t have to stop you from recovering, though. An experienced dog bite lawyer in Seattle, WA, can fight back in your name and emphasize that:
- The dog owner owed you a duty of care
- The dog owner failed to uphold that duty
- You suffered unnecessary harm and economic losses as a result of that negligence
While we can preserve your right to negotiate for a dog bite settlement in private, we’re also prepared to take your fight for support to civil court.
For a FREE legal consultation with a dog bites lawyer serving Seattle, call (206) 285-1743
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Know Your Case’s Statute of Limitations
So long as you can meet Washington’s burden of proof, you can take a liable dog owner to civil court. However, you must file a finalized claim within Washington State’s statute of limitations if you want the court to consider your fight for accident compensation.
Washington State’s personal injury statute of limitations, Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2), gives you only three years to build a case against a negligent dog owner. If you need help finalizing your claim within that timeline, we recommend promptly connecting with a Seattle, WA, dog bite lawyer.
You Can Book a Free Dog Bite Case Consultation Today
Dog owners have a legal obligation to accept responsibility for their dogs’ behaviors, especially if those behaviors put the general public in harm’s way.
In other words, you have the right to sue a negligent dog owner after a dog attacks you out of the blue. You can connect with a dog bite attorney in Seattle, WA, immediately after your accident.
Premier Law Group understands how traumatic these accidents can be and what impact they can have on your overall financial stability. We want to give you the means to retake control of your life after instances like these.
You can book your free personal injury case consultation to learn more about our available services.
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.