How to Claim Compensation in Animal Attack Lawsuit in 2024
Were you or your child injured in an animal attack? If so, you can file an animal attack lawsuit against the animal’s owner and claim compensation for the losses and injuries you have suffered. Although the process of filing a personal injury claim is quite daunting, it is important to get legal representation from a skilled lawyer with experience in handling animal attacks and other personal injury cases.
6 steps to get fair compensation in animal attack lawsuit
If you have been attacked by an owned animal and incurred injury, losses and damage as a direct result of the attack, then you can take an animal attacks’ legal action. Take note of the following helpful steps.
1. Identify the specific animal and the owner
First, identify the particular animal and its owner in case they are unknown to you. When finding out who the owner is, you need to acquire personal information, including their contact details. In case you want to pursue animal attacks legal action against the person, keep in mind that taking legal action depends on how serious the bite or injury is and how much it costs to recover.
2. Take medical attention after the attack
After the attack, you should get medical or emergency care immediately. Call emergency services or have someone near the attack site assist you in case your family or friends are unable to make the call.
Note that some animal attacks involve rabies or other life-threatening issues. These types of injuries could become infected without treatment, so make sure to seek medical help as soon as possible. Document all the medical attention you receive as they are crucial in case you file legal action against the owner.
Contacting a lawyer about the situation may provide additional information and help you get a fair animal attack lawsuit settlement.
3. Get the animal bite report
After completing your medical treatment, you should report what happened to the city or county authorities. If you were attacked by a dog, you should report the incident to the state dog warden. The concerned authorities should begin the investigation and file an animal bite report. This legal document not only provides assistance when filing an animal attack claim but could also help someone else who was attacked by the same animal in the future.
If you don’t complete this step, city officials will find it hard to enforce a policy or action effectively when or if the attack happens again. More importantly, your animal attack lawyer can use this report to craft your lawsuit strategy.
4. Gather evidence
To strengthen your animal attack case, it’s critical to prove that there was negligence on the part of the owner, which gives rise to an animal attack liability. Some additional details may include the dog, cat, or other animal’s license and records of previous attacks or aggressive behavior. It may also be helpful to find out what the owner did in those situations.
If the animal has attacked others before the current victim, this may show that the owner is negligent and liable. Furthermore, if the animal is ill or at risk to the safety and well-being of others, the city can take additional action against the negligent owner.
If you have witnesses who were able to see the incident and document it, ask if you can get a copy of the pictures or videos they took.
5. Take photos of the injuries
Even if you do not have witnesses, it is still possible to make your animal attack lawsuit stronger. Simply take photographs and videos of the injuries you incurred. Surely, this additional pieces of evidence can help you get a fair animal attack compensation.
You can document the injuries through medical treatment. Take pictures during and after treatment and keep all the medical reports and notices issued by the hospital or clinic that attended to you. Details such as surgery, medication, and other treatments received to counteract issues, which may include rabies, are all crucial evidence to increase the strength of your animal attack claim against the owner of the animal. The Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer you choose to fight your case will also provide you professional assistance to get maximum compensation.
6. Choose a knowledgeable lawyer
Before filing an animal attack claim and after receiving your medical treatment, it’s important to contact a lawyer you can trust. Timely legal assistance is crucial to pursue any claim against the responsible party, regardless of the state where the incident happened.
Hiring a lawyer may take some time as you need a professional with skills, knowledge and even personality that can match your needs. However, the right animal attack injury lawyer in Philadelphia will provide expert consultation and discuss all the possible options you have.
Once you find a trusted attorney, you can start working with them to gather evidence, build the case, and boost the strength of your claim. Nevertheless, in many situations, the victim of animal attack will have an opportunity to negotiate a settlement outside of the courts.
Compensation in animal attack lawsuit
You can get compensation for your animal attack injuries and other costs and expenses, including:
- Medical bills related to the accident.
- Lost wages if you are adversely injured causes you to miss your work.
- Loss of consortium.
- Physical and emotional suffering.
- Wrongful death.
- Prejudgment interest.
- Damages for losses to real estate.
Statute of limitations on filing animal attack lawsuit
There is a 2-year timeframe to file an animal attack lawsuit. In addition, the law allows minors to delay filing the claim until they turn 18. In other words, they have two years from the time they turn 18 within which to file their claim .
However, waiting for a minor to reach 18 can sometimes work against animal attack claims. Personal injury cases tend to be strongest when they are filed quickly, when victims and witnesses can clearly recall the incident. Nevertheless, while juries are often very sympathetic toward young victims, they can easily view those who wait until their late teens or early 20s to file the lawsuit as persons who only want attention or cash.
Therefore, it is recommended to hire a lawyer who cares about you and the outcome of your animal attack lawsuit, much like Ethen Ostroff. As your trusted Pennsylvania animal attack lawyer, Ethen and his professional connections can ensure you get every dollar possible for the suffering you went through. We will help you get fair compensation for your claim and ensure you do so before the statute of limitations expire. Contact Ethen Ostroff Law today!
