If you’ve been bitten by a dog, the first priority is your health, so get medical attention right away. Once that’s taken care of, the next thing on your list should be understanding how to handle a dog bite claim.
Filing a personal injury claim for a dog attack is usually the first step of the process. In most cases, this kind of claim is made through the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance. These policies usually cover injuries caused by the owner’s pets, even if the attack didn’t happen on their property.
Important Aspects You Need to Be Aware of Regarding Dog Bite Claims
Here are some of the essentials you need to know about handling dog bite claims:
What the process of filing a claim involves
To file the claim, you’ll need to pull together as much evidence as you can. That includes medical records, photographs of your injuries, witness statements, the police or animal control report, and any other details that support your version of events.
After you file, the insurance company might respond with a settlement offer. But that first offer is often low. You’re allowed to push back. In fact, you should, especially if the offer doesn’t come close to covering your medical bills, lost wages, or emotional trauma.
What determines how much your claim is worth
How much money you can get depends on the specific details of what happened and how the bite affected you.
One of the biggest factors is the severity of your injuries. If the bite was deep, needed stitches, caused permanent scars, or required surgery, your compensation will likely be higher. All your medical bills matter; not just what you’ve already paid but also future costs like follow-up care, therapy, or even plastic surgery.
Lost wages are another major piece. If the injury kept you from working or even just forced you to take unpaid time off, that lost income is something you can include in your claim.
What you need to do to strengthen your claim
If you want your claim to stand up strong, timing and documentation are everything. First, don’t wait too long. Every state has a deadline, known as the statute of limitations, for filing a personal injury claim. That deadline can be as short as one or two years. If you miss it, your case is done, no matter how valid it is.
Keep your records sharp and organized. Every doctor’s visit, every prescription, and every out-of-pocket cost should be saved. If your injury gets worse or you end up needing extra treatment, keep track of that too. This paperwork is what gives your claim real weight.
How to handle the insurance company when they won’t play fair
Sometimes, no matter how solid your case is, the insurance company just won’t make a fair offer. They might deny part of your claim, try to blame you, or drag things out until you’re too tired to keep fighting. This is exactly the moment when legal help becomes crucial.
Taking the case to court might sound intimidating, but it’s sometimes the only way to get you compensation that is decent.
A lawyer who knows how to handle personal injury cases, especially ones involving dog bites, can help build a case that holds up in front of a judge, not just in a back-and-forth with an insurance adjuster.
