What Is the Average Settlement for a Dog Bite Injury Claim?

Settlements for dog bite injury claims can range anywhere from $15,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the severity of your damages. Unfortunately, there’s no real way to calculate just how much you can receive for a dog bite injury until you consult with an attorney first.

The dog bite injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates can provide you with a free consultation and review your case. From there, we will have a good estimate of how much you can win in compensation. So please call us today to find out more about what we can do for you.

Is There a General Average for Dog Bite Injury Settlements?

Generally, most people receive several thousand to cover their damages. However, if a dog injures you significantly, you may have more damages to claim that substantially increases your settlement amount. Dog bite injury cases vary wildly as there are millions of dog bites each year in the U.S., according to the Insurance Information Institute (III).

We thoroughly recommend that you schedule an appointment to speak with one of our dog bite injury attorneys as soon as possible. From there, we can evaluate the specifics of your case and calculate all of your damages accordingly to give you the most accurate value of your settlement.

What Factors Affect the Value of Dog Bite Injury Settlements?

Several factors can alter the value of your dog bite injury settlement. These are just some of the more common factors we regularly see with dog bite cases. 

Economic Damages

Economic damages that have fixed values, such as your medical expenses or lost wages, will affect how much your settlement will be. For example, dog bite injuries can result in several thousands of dollars in hospital bills and even more for continued care if it results in significant disability or disfigurement. 

In addition, all of the time you take off to heal and recover from your dog bite means you may not be able to work at the same capacity you used to. Whatever wages you lost from taking time off can get reimbursed. If you can’t work at all as a result of your dog bite, you can receive compensation for any wages you lost due to it as well. 

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering don’t have a fixed economic value. Because of this, we need to take into account other variables such as:

• The amount of impact your injury has had on your life.
• Any disfigurements or disabilities that prevent you from enjoying life.
• The overall impact your injury has had on your loved ones.

We will use various formulas to determine how much compensation you can receive for your pain and suffering. Even though money can’t give you back everything, we sincerely hope that the settlement our lawyers win for you can give you the closure and strength you need to move forward after suffering a dog bite.

The Severity of the Bite

The severity of the bite is essential. If you have extensive and severe injuries throughout your body due to a dog bite, then you will most likely have higher medical costs. The same also goes for the psychological impact of surviving a dog bite, which can rack up thousands in medical bills.

The worse your dog bite, the more expensive it’s going to be. Since dog bites are chaotic and often don’t have a set outcome, the degree of your injuries will often play a huge factor in how much your settlement will be worth. For example, a small bite on the hand typically isn’t going to be worth as much as severe bites to the arms and face.

Retaining a Lawyer

You may wonder how a lawyer will make a difference in the value of your settlement. While it’s true that lawyers do take fees for their services, you could end up losing a lot more of your settlement if you try to file and negotiate your claim on your own. 

Insurance companies often have many resources and legal power at their disposal to fight back against your claim for compensation. As a result, they will pressure you into taking a settlement far lower than what you should actually receive. 

It’s common for insurance companies to use many different tactics to try and get you to accept their low offers so they can remove any responsibility they have for paying you correctly. This is why some dog bite settlements are low because the victim didn’t have proper legal representation supporting them during the negotiation process.

Get Help for Your Dog Bite Injury Claim

It can be hard to wrap your head around all of the legal work required in figuring out how much you deserve in compensation. John Foy & Associates helps victims of dog bites in Georgia get ahead of the defense and the insurance companies. The Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §51-2-7 allows you to file a claim since dog owners are responsible for keeping their pets safe from others. 

We always strive to recover the maximum amount of compensation that you rightfully deserve. If we can’t win you compensation, then you pay us nothing. Our law firm won’t hesitate to fight hard for you and take your claim to trial if necessary. We charge no fees upfront, and there is no obligation when you reach out to us for a case review.

Don’t Wait to File Your Claim 

Remember, your ability to file a claim and win a settlement for your dog bite injury doesn’t last forever. Most states, including Georgia, have a general two-year period from the date of your injury to file a claim. If you pass this statute of limitations, you forfeit your ability to seek financial compensation. 

How much your settlement will be worth is pointless if you can’t even file a claim, to begin with. Don’t find yourself in this position. Always be proactive and take immediate action with one of our experienced attorneys today. 

Always Hire a Lawyer 

Never find yourself in a position where you end up settling for way less than what you deserve. Hiring a lawyer is the investment you make to ensure that the insurance company doesn’t cheat you out of a fair settlement. Our lawyers never take any fees upfront and only get paid if you win compensation. If we can’t win compensation for you, you owe us nothing in return. 

Call Us Today to Schedule an Appointment

Do you want to learn more about how much you can win in your settlement for your dog bite injury? Then call John Foy & Associates today. Our team is available 24/7 and ready to help you win. Take advantage of our free consultations.