With millions of Americans being bitten by dogs each year, residents of Connecticut will want to know what steps to take in the event that they find themselves among the victims. Medical care is the first step since puncture wounds can become infected, and the dog that attacked may not have been vaccinated for rabies.
Both the victim and the dog owner are supposed to exchange information, just as if it were the aftermath of a car wreck. This means giving one’s name, address and contact information. The victim can, then, easily call the owner to obtain more certain data on the dog’s vaccination history.
Victims should also be taking steps to document what happened. Before treating their wound, for example, they should have it photographed. If there were witnesses, victims should record their contact information and write down their account of what happened while remaining unbiased. Any correspondence with witnesses and, later, with the insurance company should be documented. Victims should keep track of all injury-related expenses.
Lastly, they could file a report with the local animal control agency, and the agency may investigate the matter. This, along with all the steps detailed above, can help when victims file a claim against the dog owner’s insurance company. It may even become easier to achieve a fair settlement.
Any personal injury case is going to have its complexities, and insurance companies will always try to force victims into a low-ball settlement, so it’s normally recommended to have a lawyer. During a case evaluation, the lawyer may calculate how much victims can be eligible for in economic and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. The lawyer may handle all settlement negotiations, only taking the case to court if all else fails.
