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

The average settlement for a dog bite claim may provide victims with several thousand dollars in compensation.

However, the value of dog bite injury claims varies on a case-by-case basis, making it challenging to determine an average settlement amount. Instead, Atlanta dog bite lawyers look at each client’s specific losses and build claims designed to secure maximum compensation for dog bite victims.

An attorney can review the specifics of your situation to provide an estimate of your potential compensation after an animal attack.

Is there an Average Settlement for Dog Bite Injury Claims?

Generally, most people receive several thousand dollars to cover their damages. However, if a dog injures you significantly, you may have more damages to claim, substantially increasing 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).

You can schedule an appointment to speak with a dog bite injury attorney as soon as possible after an attack. Your lawyer can evaluate the specifics of your case and calculate all of your damages, going beyond what the average settlement for a dog bite injury claim is.

What Factors Affect the Value of Dog Bite Injury Settlements?

Several factors can alter the value of your dog bite injury settlement. These factors can include:

The Extent of 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 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 be reimbursed. If you can’t work at all due to your dog bite, you can also receive compensation for your reduced earning potential.

A lawyer can provide more information about what damages you can claim after a dog bite injury.

Pain and Suffering

Pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish don’t have a fixed economic value. Because of this, your Atlanta personal injury lawyer needs 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.

Personal injury attorneys 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, a win 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 will 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 worth as much as severe bites to the arms and face. This variation makes understanding what the average dog bite settlement is less useful.

Retaining a Lawyer

You may wonder how a lawyer will make a difference in the value of your settlement. While it’s true that personal injury attorneys 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. Some dog bite settlements are low because the victim didn’t have proper legal representation during the negotiation process.

How Can You Increase Your Dog Bite Injury Settlement?

You can improve your chances of getting fair compensation and a bigger settlement by contacting a lawyer for help immediately after a dog bite incident.

Hiring a lawyer is the investment you make to ensure that the insurance company doesn’t cheat you out of a fair settlement. An experienced dog bite lawyer can:

• Answer any questions you have about the legal process
• Track all of your losses
• Gather evidence to establish liability
• Enter settlement negotiations with the insurance company

Allowing a dog bite attorney to handle your claim means you’ll have someone on your side who puts you first and can level the playing field with the insurance company. Your lawyer can even explain what evidence you need to prove negligence in a dog bite injury claim.

Do You have to Accept a Dog Bite Settlement?

In some cases, your lawyer may advise against accepting a settlement from the insurance company after an animal attack, especially if the company repeatedly makes low offers.

Instead, your lawyer could help you file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. A dog bite lawsuit may help you get the money you need to cover your medical expenses, loss of quality of life, pain, suffering, and other losses.

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.

Don’t find yourself in this position. Always be proactive and take immediate action with one of our experienced attorneys today.

Learn More About Settlements for Dog-Related Injuries

So, what’s the average settlement for a dog bite injury claim? The average amount of money available can vary, though many people receive thousands of dollars.

Our team at 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.