Are you or a loved one suffering severe injuries from a dog bite? If you have questions about dog bite injuries in Texas, call our attorneys.
Dogs are the most beloved of pets, staying at the sides of us and our families through thick and thin. On occasion, however, our relationships with dogs fall far short of “best friends,” resulting in serious injuries. If you have been bitten by a dog recently, you may have questions as to how you should proceed. The following can provide some guidance on next steps, as well as advice on what not to do in the aftermath of your dog bite injury.
Common Concerns With Dog Bite Injuries in Texas
Dog bite injuries in Texas are complex affairs, made even more so by the personal relationships they can involve. Maybe you know the owner of the dog or maybe you are even friendly with the dog itself. All of these factors can affect how we approach these cases. Keep in mind:
- You are not going after the owner of the dog by filing your claim. Your compensation will come from their insurance company.
- You have experienced legitimate injuries and you have every right to receive compensation for those wounds. Injuries can also damage your capacity to earn a living and your quality of life, resulting in additional damages.
Filing a claim for a dog bite injury protects your rights and your health and does not hurt the dog owner financially.
Not Seeing a Doctor
You might think that your dog bite is not that serious and attempt to tend the wound yourself. This is never a good idea. Dog bites can become infected quite easily, and as we all know, can also often come with secondary diseases such as rabies. Getting your dog bite checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible after your injury is essential to your health and well-being.
Getting checked out by a doctor is also important to your dog bite claim. This medical visit creates a timeline of events that will support your claim moving forward. Imagine this scenario: You are bit by a dog, then wait a few days to see a doctor, thinking it’s ‘okay.’ You see a doctor a few days later. The insurance company responsible for paying your damages might say in response that you, in fact, weren’t bitten by their client’s dog, who you had an interaction with on the 6th, but by an entirely different dog on the 8th.
While this may sound cynical, these are the tried and true tactics of the insurance company. The best way to prevent scenarios like this from happening is to see a doctor right away.
Interactions with the Insurance Company
Speaking of the insurance company, you will likely receive a phone call from them at some point after the accident. All of us like to be as friendly as possible, right? The person on the other end of the line sounds friendly enough, too. They might express their concern for you even.
Unfortunately, this is a tactic like any other. The insurance company wants to get you on the record saying something that will damage your claim. Your best option is to decline the conversation politely and never give them the right to record.
Contacting a Lawyer
When is the right time to contact a lawyer in a dog bit injury case in Texas? ASAP. An experienced lawyer on your side will know all the ‘next steps’ and will be able to gather evidence, communicate with the insurance company, and advise you on how best to proceed.
These are not claims you want to work on your own. On occasion, people get intrepid enough to take on claims on their own, thinking they are smart enough or competent enough and can find their way through. They also think they’ll be saving money. In fact, they won’t. Statistics have shown time and time again that people who represent themselves on claims like these end up with far less in compensation at the end.
Hiring an experienced Texas dog bite attorney who is willing to take a case to trial is essential to your claim. Taking any other approach will result in less in compensation and more complications for you, at the end of the day.
If you have experienced a dog bite injury and would like to discuss your options, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys at https://www.willumsenlawfirm.com/ here in Houston and Katy, TX. We will walk you through the next steps and advise you on your best options for getting the compensation you deserve. You don’t have to go through this experience alone. Contact Willumsen & McRoberts today.
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