Steps to Take After a Dog Attack

Approximately 4.5 million dog bites occur annually in the United States, and about 800,000 require medical attention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While dogs can be important members of many families, they can also be extremely dangerous, and Canine Journal suggests that many dog bite victims are attacked by dogs they know in some capacity (such as their own dog, or a dog belonging to a friend, family member, or neighbor). Being bitten by a dog, or learning that your child has sustained a dog bite injury, can be disorienting and devastating. Yet in many circumstances, if you want to be able to file a dog bite claim and to seek compensation in the aftermath of an animal attack, it will be important to take certain steps after the injury occurs.

Our Shreveport dog bite lawyers know that it can be difficult to focus on anything except the injury itself in the seconds, minutes, and hours following the attack. But if you are able to do so, it is important to take certain steps in order to collect important evidence for your case and to preserve your ability to seek financial compensation. Consider the following steps from our Louisiana injury attorneys.

Document the Dog Bite and the Scene Where It Happened 

It will be extremely important, if you are able to do so, to document the dog bite area and the injury itself. One of the best ways to document the scene where a dog bite occurred is to use the camera on your phone. You should take photos of the wound, the area where the dog attacked, and any other relevant images. You can also use your camera to record video of the injury and the area where it happened.

Documenting the scene of a dog bite also involves taking care to identify any witnesses to the animal attack, including names and contact information. You should also be certain to obtain the name and contact information for the owner of the dog (if the owner is known).

Seek Medical Attention Quickly 

Seeking medical attention as soon as possible is extremely important. While many dog bites do not require medical intervention from a health care professional, if you have any concerns about the severity of a dog bite, you should seek a medical evaluation. Some injuries might not be fully known to you in the immediate aftermath of the animal attack, and they can be treated more quickly and effectively if you seek medication attention as soon as you can. You will also want to ensure that you do not delay such that your injury worsens, and the dog owner argues that you are partially responsible for the severity of the injury.

Find a Dog Bite Lawyer in Louisiana 

You should contact a dog bite lawyer as quickly as possible. Our Shreveport dog bite lawyers can begin working with you on a strategy for seeking compensation, and we can also obtain police reports, medical records, and other critical documentation in your dog bite case.

Contact a Dog Bite Attorney in Shreveport 

If you or someone you love sustained injuries in a dog attack, one of the experienced Shreveport dog bite attorneys at Rice & Kendig, LLC can speak with you today about getting started on a claim for compensation.

Sources:

legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=109387#:~:text=If%20a%20person%20suffers%20injury,suffering%20the%20injury%2C%20death%2C%20or

caninejournal.com/dog-bite-statistics/