Getting bitten by a dog out of nowhere or seeing a vicious animal running towards you is incredibly frightening. Although many people in Peachtree City love their dogs—and many dogs make great pets—bites and attacks still happen. When they do occur, the owners should be held responsible. If you or a family member was the victim of a dog attack, you’ll want to speak with a dog bite and animal attack lawyer in Peachtree City.
At John Foy & Associates, our dog bite lawyers have been helping injury victims all throughout Georgia get the compensation they need. We believe you should not have to pay a dime for the costs you face from a dog bite or animal attack that wasn’t your fault. Plus, we do not charge a fee unless we win you money.
To get started with a FREE consultation and case evaluation today, call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online.
Quick Facts to Know About Dog Bites
Many people are surprised to learn just how common and costly dog bites can be. Here are some facts to understand:
- About 4.7 million dog bites happen each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). That amount to one dog bite for every 69 people. Around 800,000 of those cases lead the victim to seek medical care.
- Dogs can bite if they feel scared, stressed, threatened, ill, or think that they’re playing. There are a number of triggers that can lead to dog bites.
- There was $675 million paid in homeowner’s insurance dog bite liability claims in 2018, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III).
- The average cost per dog bite claim in 2018 was $39,017, which increased from the year before.
- Because of higher medical costs and higher settlements or awards, the average cost of dog bite claims increased over 103% from 2003 to 2018.
- Germs from dog bites can lead to anything from minor skin infections to serious diseases, including a bacterial disease known as brucellosis. Dog bite victims should always thoroughly wash their hands after coming into contact with dogs, and should especially wash wounds after a dog bite or attack.
- Almost 27,000 people had reconstructive surgery in 2018 after being the victim of a dog bite, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
As you can see, dog bites can be very serious. Besides physical injuries, they can leave victims with emotional damages that stay with them for many years (especially in young children). If you or a family member were hurt from a dog bite, the time to take action is now.
Dog owners in Peachtree City are almost always legally liable for the damages their canine causes. Most of the time, you can seek compensation by filing a claim with the owner’s homeowner’s insurance company. This means the owner doesn’t actually pay out-of-pocket for your costs, but you are able to seek recovery for your medical bills, lost wages, emotional damages, and more.
One of the best things you can do after a dog bite in Peachtree City is to contact a dog bite lawyer. They can make sure you are doing everything necessary to pursue the fullest recovery possible.
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Why You Need a Peachtree Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer
At John Foy & Associates, there are a number of ways we help dog bite victims with their injury claims. Here are some of the top ways we can help.
Investigating the Accident
Before you can file an insurance claim for damages, you need to know who was liable for your accident. In Georgia, the person who was negligent in an injury accident is liable for damages. When a dog bite happens, the dog’s owner is almost always liable because they are responsible for keeping control of their dog’s actions.
Unfortunately, the dog’s owner is not always easy to find. They might take their dog and run after a bite. Or, they might have let their dog roam freely and be nowhere around when the bite happens. This is where a dog bite lawyer can be invaluable.
Our lawyers will begin investigating your dog bite or animal attack immediately. That might include:
- Going to the scene and taking pictures
- Talking to any witnesses to get statements
- Talking to neighbors to see if we can find out more about the dog and their owner
- Speaking with local police and Animal Control to see if there is a record of the dog
We can help discover who the dog belongs to and gather the information that is relevant to your case. This can be difficult to do alone, especially if you are trying to heal from painful and serious injuries.
Calculating Your Damages
You will need to understand the full extent of your damages before filing your insurance claim. Since the goal is to get you full compensation for all costs resulting from the dog bite, you’ll need to consider all of the ways the injury has affected your life. This includes not only immediate medical costs but also any future treatment and emotional suffering.
Our dog bite lawyers will work to determine all of your damages, such as:
- Immediate and future medical bills
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy or vocational therapy
- Property damage (if the dog also damaged personal property)
- Pain and suffering damages like PTSD, anxiety, fear, loss of enjoyment of life, or disfigurement
You’ll be able to file your claim feeling confident that all losses are accounted for.
Handling the Insurance Company
The hardest part of an injury case is often dealing with the insurance company. Insurance companies do not like to pay out much on these types of claims. They will often use tactics like looking for ways to blame you for what happened, undermining the severity of your injuries, trying to get statements out of you, or offering you a lowball settlement.
Instead of worrying about whether or not you’re handling communication with the insurance company correctly, you can let your dog bite lawyer deal with it for you. They will communicate with the insurance company and work to negotiate for a fairer settlement if the insurer lowballs you.
Talk to a Dog Bite and Animal Attack Lawyer in Peachtree City for Free Today
Our dog bite and animal attack lawyers at John Foy & Associates are prepared to fight for the compensation you deserve. We don’t back down from insurance companies, and we are ready to handle any of their tactics. Our goal is a full financial recovery for the costs of the dog bite.
Contact us today for a FREE, no-obligation consultation. Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online to get started for FREE today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
