Did another person's dog injure a loved one? Were you personally bit by a negligent owner's dog? Contact our Maryland injury law firm now for a free consultation.
After a dog attack results in personal injuries, it's only normal for victims to wonder whether they can take legal action. The expenses resulting from dog bites, along with the emotional trauma, can be overwhelming and often permanent.
Via a civil lawsuit, victims and their loved ones can fight for the compensation they need and deserve to get back on their feet. It's impossible to turn back time and undo a dog bite incident, but it's possible to seek and attain justice.
Contact our team today to get started.
If you're wondering whether you can file a lawsuit against the dog owner for a dog bite, the answer is yes. However, for a personal injury case (such as a dog bite lawsuit) to be successful, you must prove that the dog owner was negligent when allowing their animal to attack you in the first place. To prove negligence, it often requires an experienced attorney to build a case that ultimately achieves the deserved amount of compensation.
Negligence can be defined as 'the failure of proper care or attention.' A person's actions can be judged as being negligent if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent harm from coming to another person under their care.
The legal concept of contributory negligence aims to place a percentage of blame for incidents in which damages are suffered between two parties. For instance, if a victim is found to have been 25% guilty of a dog bite, then the maximum compensation they're entitled to will be capped out at 75%.
The state of Maryland possesses what is known as a pure contributory negligence statute. This means that if the victim of damages (personal injury victim in a dog bite incident) is found to have any responsibility at all for the damages, then no compensation may be awarded.
To determine how much blame you may have in the incident if there is any at all, it's vital to speak with an injury attorney experienced in such cases. Even if you believe the incident was partly your fault, it's worthwhile to discuss your claim with a legal professional who can give you a concrete answer.
There are many good reasons to hire a lawyer to handle a dog bite claim. Dog bites can be severe, and they often occur without a clear or apparent cause. In these cases, it is necessary to establish an injury and gather the appropriate medical documentation.
It's also important to have the right type of evidence to prove that the injuries were sustained in a dog bite and to try and place responsibility on the dog owner if possible. In many cases, if you are bitten, it's very easy for you or someone else to be wrongfully blamed or accused of provoking the animal in question.
Working with an attorney will help you avoid such accusations and have a strong and clear case against any legal claim by the dog owner. Additionally, your lawyer will also have access to specialists who will review all of the medical records and conduct an examination if needed to establish the extent of injuries and the treatment they may require in the future.
For those unfamiliar with the legal space, it can be easy to assume that the value of a case can be determined before legal action is taken. However, the fact of the matter is that any attorney who promises a settlement value for a case before the same is litigated is only speculating.
Most broadly, an attorney can often maximize the financial award given to victims depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. Some factors that an attorney may want to consider when deciding whether to pursue a dog bite claim are:
The information on this page is intended to serve educational purposes. Ultimately, if you want to know if you have a solid case for compensation after suffering a dog bite, you must speak with an attorney. The MD Injury Guys can review your case at no cost to you and will also be represented on contingency - this means if you don't win your case, you'll owe us nothing. No Win, No Fee.
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