If you’re ever bitten by a dog or another animal, it’s important to understand the steps you need to take to safeguard your health, cover your healthcare expenses, and pursue a court case against a potentially-negligent animal owner.
Not sure what to do? Follow the 5 steps below to identify the responsible party, document your injuries, get medical care, and take legal action against the negligent owner who is responsible for your dog or animal bite.
1. Identify The Owner, If Possible, And Exchange Contact Information
Similar to a car accident, you’ll need to identify the owner of the dog and exchange contact information with them. Try your best to remain calm, and get their name, address, phone number, email and any other details you can. This will help you identify the individual if you take further legal action to get your medical bills covered or sue for injuries.
2. Get Medical Care For Your Bite
All dog bites are serious. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may want to call 911 to be taken to a local hospital. Even if the bite is relatively minor, you should go to a local health clinic or urgent care right away to have your injury examined, disinfected, and cared for properly. Dog bites have a high risk of infection, so don’t try to treat yourself on your own.
3. File A Dog Bite Report
If you’re in San Diego, you should call San Diego Animal Services at (619) 767-2675 to report the dog bite, so that animal control authorities can take any necessary steps to investigate the case.
4. Take Photos And/Or Video of Your Dog Bite
Photos and videos can be very helpful for providing evidence if you pursue a civil case against a negligent dog owner. Get video or photos of your injuries as soon as you can after your injury will help you prove the extent of your injuries. Take photos and video:
- Immediately after the incident, before treatment
- During initial treatment and immediately after treatment
- For the next 2 days following treatment
- 1 week after treatment
- At any other time when the injury goes through noticeable changes
- At the point when the injury has healed completely
You may also want to start a journal to record the healing process and write down your thoughts. This can help you record what’s happening to you, and is very useful in court.
5. Contact A Dog Bite Lawyer
Dog bites are often very complex, and the case may take a while to resolve. That’s why it’s important to contact a qualified dog bite attorney as soon as you can. Your personal injury lawyer will be responsible for helping you collect damages from the responsible party, cover your medical costs, and get compensation for your pain and suffering, missed work, and other such things.
Get Help With Dog And Animal Bites In San Diego!
If you’ve been bitten by a dog or any other animal due to negligence on the part of the owner of the animal, you need to contact an attorney right away. To start building your case, contact Guy Levy Law online at this link, or give us a call at (619) 232-9900 for a free consultation.
