Dog & Animal Bites

A Georgia Lawyer For Dog Bites & Animal Attacks

Dogs are considered by many to be man’s best friend, and in 2018 some 47% of the US population owned a dog. Despite their popularity dogs, data published by the National Institute of Health notes that dogs are within the top 15 causes of non-fatal injuries across the entire country.

Being injured from a dog or other animal bite can be a traumatic experience and often result in personal injuries with costly medical expenses and a negative impact on a victim’s ability to work and support themselves and their family. The circumstances behind a dog and animal bite injury will determine the compensation that a victim may be entitled to receive.

Georgia law will generally support your right to collect damages and an experienced Georgia dog bite lawyer from the Michael M. Day Law Firm, LLC, is available to review your case and determine the options available to you.

Dog Bites are a National Problem

In the United States, dog bites are noted in research published by the National Institute of Health, NIH, as a legitimate national problem. In the year studied, 2018, there were 51,486 hospitalizations for dog bites, or about 337,103 dog bites, which represents some 1.1% of all emergency department visits in the United States in that year. Dog bites were ranked 13th in the most common injuries that persons reported to emergency departments. This places them ahead of motorcycle injuries at 14th place, pedestrian injuries at 15th place, and gunshot injuries at 16th place.

While dogs and other animals may be great pets to one person, when they attack another they can cause physical injury in addition to mental and emotional trauma. A Georgia dog bite lawyer can help recover the compensation needed to treat these victims.

Children are the Most Common Victims of Dog Bites

Children in general are often the victims of the most severe dog bites, according to the NIH. Younger children generally sustain bites to the head and neck, while older children experience injuries to their extremities. When a child experiences a serious injury from a dog or other animal attack, they could experience long-term and life-altering injuries. The compensation for such injuries may include:

• The loss of the ability to earn throughout their life
• Pain and suffering
• The decrease in their enjoyment of life.

Children and other individuals who are injured in dog and other animal attacks may require not only follow-up medical care but also plastic and cosmetic surgery in addition to psychological counseling. The cost of associated care for children who are injured in dog attacks can be very high and it is important to take the time to accurately measure the complete costs of a child’s injuries before accepting a settlement that prevents you from seeking any more compensation at a later date. Knowing when to accept a settlement and when to push for more is often best determined by a Georgia dog bite lawyer.

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You May Recover Damages for Injuries to Your Own Pets from Dog or Animal Attacks

Dogs and other pets are often considered to be a part of the family, and when they are injured, the medical expenses can also also be very significant. If your dog or other pet has been the victim of an attack by another animal, you may be able to collect compensation to cover the associated healthcare costs. Pet owners have a responsibility to keep their animals safe, particularly if their pet is known to be dangerous, and if a person or another animal is injured, they may be held liable. It is best to contact a Georgia dog bite lawyer when your pet has been injured by another animal.

Certain Dog Owners are Liable for Damages Caused by Dog Bite Injuries

Your right to collect compensation for the damages linked to your dog bite injury may be supported by statute, which means that when the facts of your situation are effectively applied to the law, you will be entitled to recover.

Under Georgia Code Sec. 51-2-7, titled “Vicious animals, liability for injuries caused by,” it is clarified that a person that owns or keeps:

• A “vicious or dangerous animal of any kind,” and who
• Due to “careless management” or
• By “allowing the animal to go at liberty”
• And that animal causes injury to another person who did not provoke the injury by their own act
• May be held liable for damages to the injured person

This means that the owner of the animal needs to know that the animal was either vicious or dangerous. Additionally, the animal must have been carelessly managed or allowed to wander without restraint. These elements must be proven through the evidence to gain the support of the GA dog bite statute in proving the liability of the dog owner and the victim’s ability to collect, and a Georgia dog bite lawyer will best know how to proceed.

Dog Owners May Assert that You Caused the Bite as a Defense

While the GA dog bite statute protects your right to collect compensation when the dog owner knew that the animal was dangerous or vicious and allowed it to roam free or carelessly managed it, dog owners are also offered a defense. If the dog or other animal owner can demonstrate through evidence that you provided the injury that you experienced, you will be found liable for the damages that result.

When a dog owner can successfully assert a defense against you, that means the costs that result from your injuries will be your liability, and will the money to pay for them should come from your insurance, with any extra expenses being covered out of your pocket. Working with an experienced Georgia dog bite lawyer will help to ensure that the law is accurately applied to the facts of your injury so that the dog owner is not able to assert a defense that the circumstances do not support.

Connect with a Georgia Dog Bite Lawyer

If you have been injured as a result of a dog bite or attack from another dangerous or vicious animal, reach out to an experienced Georgia dog bite lawyer from Michael M. Day Law Firm, LLC by giving us a call at (404) 480-4284 or via our contact page.