Being attacked or bitten by a dog is a frightening experience. It can happen when you least expect it, and the resulting injuries are often severe. Follow these steps after being bitten by a dog to increase the chances of a positive resolution and to secure your right to financial compensation.
1. Get Immediate Medical Treatment
Dog bites of any kind require prompt medical treatment, regardless of how minor the wound may seem. This is particularly true in the case of puncture wounds, where the dog’s long canine teeth can cause injuries that are more severe than they look.
Visit your local emergency room as soon as possible after the attack. In cases where children are mauled by a dog, or when the dog bite is in a precarious location, it is critical that you call 911 or get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
2. Identify the Dog and Its Owner
In order to bring a liability case forward, you must be able to identify the dog and its owner. In cases where the individual was bitten in their own neighborhood, they may already know the dog and/or its owner. However, in cases where a vicious dog has been allowed to run at large, it may be more difficult to find who the dog belongs to.
Write down as much as you remember about the dog attack, including where you were and what the dog looked like. Report the incident to authorities, including law enforcement and animal control. In some cases where the victim is having difficulty locating the dog in question, animal control may be able to help.
In cases where the dog is identified, you may be able to have the dog tested for rabies. If the dog tests negative, you will not need treatment for rabies. However, if the dog tests positive, or if you are unable to locate the dog in question and have it tested, you will need to receive rabies treatment as a preventative measure.
3. Get the Names and Addresses of Any Witnesses
If there were any witnesses present at the time of the attack, it is important to obtain their contact information as soon as possible. If you wish to bring a liability case forward to seek compensation for your injuries, witnesses may be able to provide valuable testimony about what happened during the attack.
4. Take Photos of Your Wounds
Although your medical records will be an important part of your injury case, photographic evidence can be even more valuable when demonstrating the severity of the injuries caused by the dog attack. Take photos of your injuries before medical treatment if possible, as well as after. Continue taking photos of your wounds as they heal and keep the images in a safe place along with copies
5. Contact a Dog Bite Injury Attorney
Once you have received the medical treatment you need for your injuries, it is imperative that you contact an attorney who focuses on dog bite law . At Mazow | McCullough, P.C., we have represented hundreds of individuals who have been the victim of a dog attack. We have developed unique legal strategies that have been proven successful time and again, and we are dedicated to helping our clients recover the maximum amount of damages possible in their case.
Contact us today for a consultation to discuss your case, or to learn more about dog bite injury law in Massachusetts or New Hampshire.
Additional Resources
How to Prevent Dog Bites (And What To Do if You Get Bit)
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