When an animal gets aggressive and someone is hurt, it’s important to take action to protect others. How do you make sure you get to tell your side of the story in a dog-bite case? Experienced pet owners and legal professionals weighed in on what to do if you suddenly find yourself a victim of a dog gone wild.
Parag L. Amin
Photos, Eyewitness, Medical Records, and Bills
The evidence that you can submit in a dog bite case include photos of the bite, eyewitness testimony of anyone who saw the bite, medical records, and bills to show the injuries and bills caused by the dog bite. You can also have eyewitnesses testify about how the injury has affected your life on a daily basis such as any physical limitations that you have as a result of the bite.
You can also include evidence about any lost wages you may have as a result of missing work due to the injury. It is the combination of the extent of the physical injuries and what medical treatment you needed in the past and what medical treatment you will need in the future combined with any physical limitations that you have, how the injury has affected your life, and the cost of the past and future medical expenses that will determine the value of your claim.
Document Medical, Other Costs
Generally, dogs are known as man’s best friends, but there are times when they can be aggressive. If a dog bites you, it is crucial to record evidence after receiving necessary medical attention.
Evidence comes in many different forms. Speak with witnesses to the bite, take photos of the injury, and record any expenses resulting from the bite. These expenses can range from medical bills to missed work. This evidence is essential to proving your side of the story and recovering the costs you deserve.
Gregory Herrman
Debbie Littany
Dog’s DNA and Teeth Measurements
The collection of evidence’s purpose is to connect and match the evidence between the dog and the victim. Also, they are used to determine the claims that a victim should be granted, so, aside from the DNA from the suspected dogs involved, you also have to have a detailed measurement of the wounds on the victim to compare to the dog’s teeth measurements. With the accuracy of the DNA and the measurement of the dogs’ features, you can most definitely win a case.
Write Down Specifics, Identify Dog Owner
- Provide pictures of the dog bite immediately after it happened. This will provide visual evidence along with a time stamp. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Videos are even better. Include any reports from doctor visits as well (medical records).
- Make sure to include specific information, including the date, time, location, and any witnesses who were present.
- Whether the dog was owned by the defendant/person you are reporting.
Sarah Wooten
This is a crowdsourced article. Contributors' statements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this website, other people, businesses, or other contributors.