Indianapolis Dog Bite Lawyer

A dog bite or other animal attack can be a psychological and physically traumatic experience for the victim. After a vicious dog attack, recovery can be difficult, so the last thing you need is to navigate the complex claims process without legal assistance. It is best to hire a knowledgeable Indianapolis dog bite lawyer after suffering a dog bite injury to help you understand your options.

A dog bite lawyer will guide you through the legal process, making navigating the complex Indianapolis dog bite laws and claims process more straightforward. The skilled dog bite lawyers at Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law have extensive experience successfully helping victims handle these cases. If a dog has bitten you, our Indianapolis personal injury lawyers will help you fight for your rights and ensure you receive maximum compensation.

Let our skilled dog bite lawyers review your case, discuss your available legal options, and handle the insurance company on your behalf while you focus on recuperating. Call us at 317-482-7888 today to book a consultation.

Table of Contents

What Should I Do If A Dog bites me?

Dog bites can be painful; in some cases, the bite may cause an infection or even death. It helps to know what steps to take to ensure your well-being after a dog bites you. Here is what you should do if a dog has bitten you:

Seek medical attention: As a dog bite victim, you may be exposed to a range of unsettling conditions if you do not get the bite treated. Get the dog’s vaccination history and ensure you seek immediate medical attention, even if the injuries appear minor. A documented medical visit will come in handy when filing your dog bite claim.

Report the dog bite: Ensure you report the dog bite to the appropriate authorities so that it is investigated. Reporting the incident to the relevant authorities ensures the dog is contained to prevent it from biting more people.

Collect information: If possible, ensure you collect information about the dog, its history of biting, and whether it has displayed any violent behavior. You should gather more information about the dog, including its breed, whether it is vaccinated, and its owner’s contact details. Remember to collect the contact details of any witnesses present.

Document your injury: Take videos and pictures of the dog bite and keep all your medical records from the treatment you received for the dog bite. Documenting your dog bite injury and medical records is essential since you can use these as evidence when you pursue legal action.

Contact a dog bite lawyer: Navigating a dog bite claim can be challenging, especially without legal guidance or knowledge of Indiana’s dog bite laws. After getting bitten by a dog, contact a reputable Indianapolis dog bite lawyer as soon as possible. A skilled lawyer will help you understand your legal options and rights, and they will work with you to ensure you recover damages for the injuries you suffered.

Who Do I Report A Dog Bite To In The State Of Indiana?

In Indiana, all victims of animal bites must report the matter to the local health department where they live. You have 24 hours to report this incident. The state law also requires all physicians to report all animal bites.

When reporting your dog bite in Indiana, you will need to submit information about the circumstances surrounding the dog bite, including:

  • A statement about the incident
  • Your name, phone number, address
  • Details about the dog, including its coloring, breed, and rabies tag number

Consider talking to a dog bite lawyer from Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law. We will help you with questions about the dog bite report and anything else you may need to complete the form. Reporting the dog bite incident to the authorities will help build your case when you file your lawsuit.

Who do you report a dog bite to in Indianapolis

Why Should I Hire an Indianapolis Dog Bite Lawyer?

Depending on the circumstances surrounding your case, you may be entitled to receive compensation after suffering a dog bite injury. The best way to establish if you are entitled to damages is by discussing your case with an experienced dog bite lawyer. Here is why you should hire an Indiana dog bite lawyer:

  • Experience: If you have yet to gain experience or knowledge about dog bite liability laws, navigating the claims process or winning a fair settlement will be challenging since insurers will find reasons to deny your claim. An experienced dog bite lawyer has experience dealing with insurers and working on similar cases, so they will fight on your behalf and ensure you receive maximum compensation.

 

  • Collect evidence: It helps to contact a dog bite lawyer as soon as possible so they can help you collect evidence you can use in your claims process. A skilled attorney can also help you evaluate the dog, interview the owner, veterinarian, and neighbors, inspect the attack scene, and obtain animal control records if animal control is involved.

 

  • Build a strong case: A skilled dog bite lawyer will help you collect evidence to build a strong case that will support your claim. They will work with other qualified professionals, use extensive resources, and ensure you file your lawsuit within the statute of limitation following the appropriate legal procedure.

 

  • File a claim: You must file your lawsuit within the statute of limitation, following the proper legal process, and against the right individual. Working with a dog bite lawyer will ensure you follow the appropriate steps and avoid any mistakes that may result in your case being dismissed.

 

  • Negotiate for a fair settlement: Insurers do everything to avoid paying victims a fair settlement, and without any experience negotiating with them, they will likely give you a lowball offer. A professional dog bite attorney has extensive experience dealing with insurance companies. They will negotiate with the insurers to ensure you receive maximum damages.

 

  • Trial representation: If the insurers fail to offer you a fair settlement and your case proceeds to trial, a skilled dog bite attorney will represent you. The Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law dog bite lawyers have trial experience and know court rules.

Dog bite injury cases can get more complicated than you may think. Ensure you hire a professional dog bite lawyer in Indiana after you get bitten by a dog. Getting a reputable lawyer ensures your rights are protected and you receive fair compensation for your injuries.

Who Is Responsible For Dog Bite Injuries?

Dog bite injuries are often complicated to navigate. The laws of dog bite injuries vary depending on the specific facts surrounding the dog bite, the role of the victim in being bitten, and what they were doing when they were bitten. The dog owner can be held liable for the injuries inflicted on a victim by their dog’s bite in the following scenarios:

  • Their dog bites someone who is performing their legal duty, such as a postal worker
  • They recklessly fail to take reasonable steps to restrain the dog
  • The dog attacks or bites someone without provocation

Dog owners can be convicted of a felony if their dog bites someone and the injuries suffered result in the victim’s death.

A skilled dog bite attorney can help victims recover damages under negligence or the Indiana ‘one-bite’ rule. Although, if a victim was trespassing or teasing the dog when they got bitten, the dog owner will probably not be held responsible for the damages.

Under Indiana law, the dog owner must use reasonable care to prevent their dog from causing others injuries. The courts in Indiana have imposed liability on dog owners who fail to restrain their dogs or deter individuals from coming into contact with their dogs.

Who can be held liable in a dog attack

What Type Of Compensation Can I Expect In A Dog Bite Case?

You may be entitled to receive damages if you are a dog bite injury victim. The damages you receive will be influenced by the facts surrounding your case, the severity of your injuries, and the extent of the dog owner’s negligence. The damages you may be entitled to after suffering a dog bite in Indiana include the following:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are any financial losses you may suffer due to your injuries. They are easy to calculate since they have a monetary value, and physical evidence, such as receipts and other financial records, can help to prove losses.  Economic damages include:

  • Medical expenses: Medical expenses usually include the total sum of the medical bills you have incurred due to the dog bite injuries. These medical expenses include the cost of your initial hospital stay and future follow-up treatment you may require concerning your injuries.

 

  • Lost wages: Due to your dog bite injuries, you may be unable to return to work for a short or extended period, leading to you losing out on income. Whether you cannot return to work for a few weeks or years, you deserve compensation. Economic damages ensure you are compensated for all the past and future lost income.

Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages are difficult to quantify because they have no standard financial value. These damages are designed to compensate victims for non-physical losses such as:

  • Pain and suffering: A dog bite can cause devastating physical pain, and you may feel discomfort for an unforeseen period after the incident. You ought to receive compensation for the pain and suffering you endured due to the dog bite injury you suffered.

 

  • Emotional distress: Dog attacks and bites can be very traumatic, causing you to face mental anguish after the incident. Aside from physical trauma, a victim may undergo psychological trauma from the attack. You deserve compensation if you experience mental or emotional distress after the incident.

 

  • Disfigurement: A vicious dog attack can result in permanent disfigurement, altering your life forever. This can impact you emotionally and physically. You deserve substantial non-economic damages if you get facial disfigurement after a dog bite or attack.

 

  • Loss of enjoyment of life: The emotional distress you face after a dog bite or the injuries you suffer may get in the way of enjoying life or partaking in activities you used to enjoy. This is a substantial loss, and you ought to receive economic damages to compensate you for losing something you enjoyed doing that you cannot partake in anymore.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages may be awarded in specific animal attack cases. Rather than rewarding a victim, punitive damages are meant to punish a dog owner for their negligent behavior and deter the public from engaging in similar behavior. These damages are only available in cases where the dog owner acted with malicious intent or extreme negligence.

Consider calling a dedicated dog bite attorney if a dog has bitten you. They will review your case, help you establish if you have a strong claim, and determine what form of compensation you deserve. They will also ensure that the insurance company pays you a fair settlement.

What Does Indiana Law Say About Dog Bites?

Per the Code of Law section 15-20-1, dog owners may be held responsible for a dog bite injury if they should have had reasonable knowledge that the dog can bite people unprovoked. Most courts often interpret ‘reasonable knowledge’ as their dog has bitten someone.

Indiana follows the “one-bite” rule to establish who is responsible for a dog bite injury. According to the ‘one-bite’ rule, a dog owner may not be held accountable for a dog bite if the dog has no history of biting and they were acting responsibly when the dog bites someone. Indiana state law maintains that with no history of biting, the owner has no reason to believe their dog will bite someone unprovoked.

The ‘one-bite’ rule reduces dog owners’ liability since they have no ‘reasonable knowledge’ of violent behavior. It also offers them legal protection if the dog bite is severe. On the other hand, a dog owner with a bite record is responsible for taking proactive measures to prevent their dog from biting any more people.

There are exceptions to the ‘one-bite’ rule. An owner can be held responsible for a dog bite injury if it displays signs of aggression. So, even if the dog has no bite record, these aggressive indicators should offer the owner ‘reasonable knowledge’ that their dog might bite.

A dog owner can still be held liable under this rule if they display reckless or negligent behavior, like not intervening when their dog becomes agitated.

If a dog has bitten you, it will help to call an attorney to discuss your case since the specific circumstances surrounding it will influence whether the dog owner will be liable. Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law will help you understand the state of Indiana’s dog bite laws and how to protect your rights.

Statistics Of Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can result in severe injuries and, in extreme cases, death. In recent years, dog bites incidents have become more common. Here are a few statistics on dog bite injuries:

  • The American Medical Association journal shows that there are about 334,000 annual visits to the hospital emergency rooms for serious dog bites

 

  • According to the CDC, about 800,000 people in the United States seek medical attention for dog bites annually

 

  • According to State Farm Insurance, in 2018, they paid four million dollars to solve 109 dogs bite claims in Indiana

 

  • In 2012, Indiana ranked 7th out of 10 states with the highest number of dog bite claims

 

  • According to CDC, 1.8% of dog bites in the US require hospitalization, while 0.0005778% of all dog bites result in death

 

  • Based on hospital admission reports, 43% of dog bite victims were treated for skin and tissue infections, 10% were injured in the torso, head, or neck, 22% were wounded in their arms or legs, and 24.5% suffered severe problems like blood poisoning or bone fracture

Are There Time Limits For Filing A Dog Bite Lawsuit?

After being bitten by a dog, you must file your claim immediately to ensure it is within the statute of limitation. In Indiana, the statute of limitation for filing a dog bite lawsuit is two years from the time of the dog bite. If a dog bite victim fails to file their claim within the statute of limitation, they are not entitled to compensation, and their case will be discarded.

It helps to work with a skilled dog bite attorney when a dog bites you since they will help ensure you file your claim on time following the proper legal rules.

Contact Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law Indianapolis Dog Bite Lawyers Today!

Dog bites can result in serious injuries or even death. It helps to seek immediate medical attention, report the incident to appropriate authorities and contact a skilled attorney after being bitten by a dog. Hiring an experienced dog bite attorney makes navigating the legal claims process more straightforward.

Without legal experience and vast knowledge of dog bite laws in Indiana, dealing with insurers can be difficult. Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law have extensive experience working on similar cases and will help you fight for the compensation you deserve, including medical bills and lost wages.

With dog bite cases, time is of the essence, so taking immediate action ensures your rights are protected. A skilled Indianapolis dog bite lawyer will do everything to ensure you recover the compensation you deserve. Call 317-482-7888 to speak with dedicated Indianapolis dog bite lawyers from Rowe & Hamilton Attorneys at Law today. dog bite lawyers today.

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