Wisconsin Dog Bite Lawyers

Generally, if a dog bite harmed you in Wisconsin, immediately make several calls. The reports that each call will generate can protect your medical and legal recovery.

Call:

• Animal Control: If an animal attacks you and bites or scratches your skin, you should report the incident to the appropriate governmental agency as soon as possible. The agency will often ask for your name, contact information, description of your injuries, and information about the dog bite. Once these details are provided, an inspector will likely be assigned to your case.
• The Police: If the injury you suffered is serious, you want to call 911 immediately after the attack so that emergency medical personnel can get to the scene as soon as possible.
• A Physician: Dog bite injuries can result in debilitating disfigurement and severe infections. That is why you need to get to a doctor as soon as you can to get the proper medical treatment necessary for your injuries.

In addition, to protect your legal rights, reach out to a skilled Wisconsin dog bite attorney at Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers. We can contact the appropriate insurance companies, and if required, file a lawsuit within the mandated time frame.

As mentioned previously, dog bites can cause serious injuries, often damaging the muscles, nerves, and blood vessels under the skin. Worse yet, this damage can occur even if the wound appears tiny, such as from puncture marks.

However, it is also equally important to note that these dog bites can result in significant bacterial infections, posing a risk of rabies or other infections such as MRSA or tetanus. As a result, if a dog attacked or bit you, you need to get to a medical professional fast. These doctors can promptly get you the medical treatment you need, including antibiotics or shots, to stop many of these issues from escalating into deadly injuries.

After a dog bite, many victims often want to know if they have a viable legal claim against the dog owner to collect compensation for the injuries they suffered. However, the answer to this question is not as straightforward as many people hope it to be.

This is because numerous factors go into determining this answer, such as:

• What was the extent of the injuries following the dog attack or bite?
• Is there time to bring legal action against the wrongful party?
• Is there any insurance available following the incident?

Due to these numerous elements, the best way to determine if you have a valid case is to reach out to a skilled Wisconsin dog bite lawyer as soon as possible. These attorneys can review the incident, go over these questions, and help you figure out if you have a viable case.

The statute of limitations is a specific regulation that dictates the maximum amount of time you have to file a lawsuit following an alleged offense. If you do not bring this claim within that allotted time, you can be barred from obtaining the compensation you need for your losses and injuries.

In Wisconsin, if you want to bring an injury claim following a dog attack, you have three years from the injury date to file a lawsuit. However, certain exceptions may extend or shorten this filing period. For these reasons, do not wait to seek legal help.

Instead, reach out to our skilled Wisconsin dog bite lawyers as soon as possible. We can review your claim, figure out how much time you have to file your case, and prepare and file everything correctly before time runs out.

According to Wisconsin law, the dog’s owner is ultimately liable for the total amount of damages caused by their dog when it harms another person, property, or domestic animal. Furthermore, in some instances, the dog’s owner can be on the hook for double the damages.

For example, if the dog attacked another individual with enough force to break their skin and cause permanent physical scarring or disfigurement, and the owner knew their dog had previously done this without any provocation, may need to pay these double damages.

To determine if you can collect compensation from the insurance company following a dog attack, you need to consider two questions:

1. Was the dog insured? Not all homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies cover dog bite attacks. Some of these policies may even exclude coverage for injuries caused by certain dog breeds. That is why before you can look to the insurance company for money for your injuries following a dog bite, you may want a knowledgeable dog bite lawyer to review the specific insurance policy in effect at the time of the dog bite.
2. How much money will the insurer pay for your dog bite injuries? Assuming that the dog’s owner has a valid insurance policy, you will next need to examine how much money you can get from the insurance policy. To determine this, a lawyer will often have to complete a detailed analysis of the situation, including a review of the policy limitations and assessing your damages.

In addition, simply asking for a recovery from the insurance company will not ensure you get all the damages you need. Instead, you will also need to create compelling arguments and present detailed and relevant evidence showing fault and damages to go after a fair settlement. Thankfully, with a skilled dog bite lawyer, you will not have to do this on your own. These attorneys can go after these insurance companies on your behalf and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Following a Wisconsin dog bite incident, there are numerous steps you should take to ensure your safety and legal rights remain protected.

They include:

• Gather As Much Evidence From the Scene As You Can. After you contact the appropriate authorities, you will want to collect as much evidence from the accident scene as possible. This should include videos and photos of your visible injuries that resulted from the dog attack, the dog in question, your torn clothing, and any other evidence that can help show what happened.
• Obtain Information From the Dog’s Owner. If the dog’s owner is there, you will want to get their name, phone number, and insurance details if they have coverage. In addition, you will also want to find out further information about the dog, such as if they have all their necessary shots. These details will be important for your doctor to determine if you need to undergo a series of expensive and painful shots to protect you from serious and deadly conditions such as tetanus or rabies.
• Check for Others at the Scene. If people were present when the dog bite incident occurred, you will want to get their names and numbers. These witnesses can often provide you with further details about the incident and help back up your claim.
• Get to Your Doctor. Getting to a doctor can not only ensure you are not at risk of any serious medical complications, but it can also help your legal claim. Insurance companies are often looking for anything they can to deny your case or try to get you to settle for less than you deserve. By not getting prompt medical attention after the dog bite incident, the insurer may try to argue that your injuries are not that severe or resulted from a subsequent event. Fortunately, when a doctor examines you after the attack, these physicians can jot down information regarding your injuries in their medical report and provide you with evidence of a direct connection between the harm you sustained and the dog bite incident.
• Keep Track of Reports and Bills. You will also want to keep track of all your medical bills and expenses related to your dog bite attack. These documents can help your lawyer prepare the strongest case possible to go after the maximum damages you need.
• Be Careful What You Say After the Incident. After the dog bite incident, you want to make sure you watch what you say to others. This means you do not want to make any definitive statements about the dog bite incident, apologize for anything that occurred or take the blame for the attack. These types of comments often are well intended to comfort the dog’s owner, but this type of good deed can come back later, hurt your case, and impact the amount of money you can receive.

If a dog bite injures you or a loved one, you need a knowledgeable Wisconsin dog bite attorney in your corner, not only fighting for your legal rights but going after the maximum compensation you deserve.

Once you retain Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers, we can swiftly get to work, going over your case and figuring out if you have a valid legal claim. From there, we can determine the legal options you should pursue and start investigating your incident, securing the evidence needed to prove fault and the extent of your damages.

With this evidence, they can negotiate with the dog owner’s insurance company if they have valid insurance and go after a just settlement. If the insurer is unwilling to negotiate fairly, these lawyers can take your case to trial and fight relentlessly for its successful resolution.

For these reasons, do not wait any longer to call Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers and secure the legal help you need after a dog bite injury.