Dogs can cause life-threatening injuries when they attack, often leaving victims scarred or disfigured. As such, if you were bitten, you may be staring down the long road to recovery. Treatment for a minor bite can easily cost a small fortune, and more serious injuries can lead to a lifetime of medical expenses. If you were the victim of an animal attack, turn to our Echo Park dog bite attorneys to find out how you could recover compensation for your injuries. 

From investigating the attack and gathering evidence to prove liability and damages to providing tenacious representation throughout proceedings, we are with you every step of the way. To get started, dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS today. 

How Our Personal Injury Attorneys Can Assist with Your Dog Bite Case 

Before reaching out to a lawyer, you will want the assurance that hiring someone to help with your claim is the right decision for you and your family. Ultimately, you want peace of mind that an attorney won’t just help you achieve a favorable outcome in your case, but will also help make your life easier.  

At HPIL, we have decades of collective experience representing personal injury victims and their families throughout the state. Here are a few ways we may be able to assist with your case: 

• Approximate a Fair Settlement: Determining the value of your physical, psychological, and economic damages is a crucial step in the claims process. Without a clear understanding of how much your case might be worth, you could be lured into accepting a low-ball settlement offer that falls short of covering the full extent of your losses. At HPIL, our seasoned personal injury attorneys can investigate the attack, assess the available evidence, and consult with expert witnesses if necessary to help approximate fair compensation for the losses you’ve incurred. 

• Negotiate Your Claim: Once the insurance company has approved your personal injury claim, you will then have to agree to a settlement offer. Our animal attack lawyers will know if the insurance company’s offer is fair or not, and can help negotiate a more favorable amount. Ultimately, our aim is to help you obtain a financial award that accounts for the full range of your accident-related losses. 

• Litigate Your Case: If the insurer or another opposing party disputes liability or refuses to agree to a fair settlement, our trial attorneys are ready to proceed to trial. During the discovery phase of litigation, we can gather the necessary evidence to help support your claim and mitigate disputes. Filing a lawsuit can also help demonstrate that you are taking your personal injury claim seriously.  

What Should I Do After Suffering a Dog Bite? 

An animal attack can be an incredibly traumatic experience, making it difficult to stay calm in the aftermath. However, if you intend to file a personal injury claim to recover compensation for your injuries, you need to steel your nerves and consider your next steps carefully. Taking the right actions right there and then could help you avoid disputes during proceedings. 

Let’s take a look at a few actions you should always take: 

• Contact Authorities: If you require urgent medical care, you should contact authorities as soon as possible. Not only will this help ensure that you receive immediate treatment, but it’s also likely that police officers will come to investigate what happened. Officers will usually file an official report on the incident to document the details of your attack. Both your attorney and the insurer will likely want to see this report. You should also report the incident to the local animal control agency. 

• Document Your Injuries: Using your phone, you should snap photographs of your injuries. Such images can help demonstrate the severity of your wounds and help tie your injuries to the attack. 

• Speak to Eyewitnesses: Not only could onlookers help you identify the dog’s owner, but their deposition or testimony could also help corroborate your version of events. You should take down their contact details to share with your attorney during the initial consultation. 

• Visit the Doctor: Even if your injuries don’t appear to be serious, you should still schedule a medical assessment as soon as possible. Your healthcare provider will usually create medical records documenting important details about your condition such as the severity of your injuries, recommended treatments, and other aspects of your recovery. Your lawyer will likely use these records to help connect your condition to the attack and prove damages such as medical expenses, lost earnings, and many others. 

Schedule a Free Case Review with an Echo Park Dog Bite Attorney 

Were you the victim of an animal attack? Turn to the personal injury attorneys at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers for advice. Dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS or head over to our contact form HERE to secure a free case assessment.