Dog Bite Injuries

Dog Bite Cases are Unique

Dog bite cases are different than other personal injury cases in a number of ways. 

• First, insurance must be found by the dog bite lawyer.  Sometimes, homeowners insurance pays.  Sometimes there is other insurance.  Unlike a motor vehicle collision, there is not a set scheme for insuring against injury. 
• Second, dog bite cases generally do not have the same on-scene documentation that a car accident does.  There is not automatically a police report generated.  Sometimes, animal control gets involved and reports are generated, but not always. 
• Third, the injuries are generally a little different.  There are, of course, dog bite injuries that involve broken bones or even disc herniations.  However, more commonly, the injuries involve torn flesh and scarring.  Sprains, strains, and torn ligaments often also result during the struggle with the attacking dog.

How Much are Dog Bite Cases Worth?

A dog bite lawsuit is worth whatever a good dog bite lawyer can get for you.  We do not mean to be flippant, but the better the lawyer and the circumstances, the more the claim can be worth.  

According to Lendingtree, the average cost per dog bite claim was $43,653.  That’s the average settlement, meaning there was no need to go to court. 

According to the same website, in 2019, there were 17,866 dog bite claims in the United States.  In Maryland alone, more than $14 million dollars was paid out to victims of dog bites.  Warnken, LLC had clients who were part of that $14 million.

Experienced Dog Bite Lawyers

• We have been the lawyers for dog bite injury cases that began as workers’ compensation cases. 
• We have also handled dog bite cases where the dog was on our clients’ property. 
• We have been the dog bite lawyers for cases where our client was on the dog owner’s property. 

Where the dog bite occurred is relevant to the claim, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have a case.

It’s important to preserve evidence as much as possible. 

• This could be pictures of the dog, pictures of the injury, or pictures of the scene and dog owners. 
• Preservation could also mean cell phone video or door/doorbell camera video of the incident. 
• Finally, copies of any animal control reports or citations should be kept; similarly, a copy of any police report or information exchange should be kept.

A Final Difference

One final difference between dog bite cases and other personal injury cases … many people are injured by dogs and do nothing about it. 

You wouldn’t get rear-ended by someone, have scars on your face and arm, and do nothing about it.  You would make a claim with the insurance company.  Why then, do people do nothing when they get bitten by a dog.  We discuss this a little more here. 

Call us for a free consultation and we can explain the process, including your rights and obligations..