OVERVIEW
Almost five million people are injured by dog bites and animal bites annually in the United States. Nearly one in five of these bites require medical attention and about 10 percent require hospitalization. Unfortunately, more than 50 percent of these bites involve children.
Dogs are not the only animals that can cause injuries. Wisconsin law requires that the owner or keeper of animals use reasonable and ordinary care to control the animal to prevent the animal from causing injury to others. If an animal owner fails to properly control his or her animal, and that animal causes injury to a person, that person is entitled to compensation for the resulting damages.
The medical costs associated with animal injuries can be great, and the emotional cost can be even more burdensome. In certain circumstances, an owner of an animal might be required to pay double the amount of damages they would normally owe when that same animal injured another person in the past. Whether this applies is a fact-specific determination. This is intended to discourage irresponsible owners from acting in a reckless or negligent manner. In Wisconsin, a dog bite victim may pursue compensation regardless of whether or not the attack was a dog’s first.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’VE BEEN BITTEN BY A DOG OR ANOTHER ANIMAL?
If you are bitten by a dog, or another animal, take immediate steps to protect your health and legal rights.
If you’ve been bitten by an animal, and your skin is broken, be sure to:
- Contact your doctor.
- Wash the wound with clean water and apply pressure to slow bleeding.
- Place a sterile bandage around the wound.
- Keep the injury elevated.
Seek emergency medical care if:
- The injury is gaping, or if bleeding does not stop within 15 minutes.
- There are signs of infection, such as redness, pus, or fever.
- You do not know the animal’s immunization status.
- The bite is on your face, hand, or foot.
- You have not had a tetanus shot within 5 years.
To protect your legal rights, be sure to:
- Get witnesses’ names, addresses, and phone numbers.
- Do not discuss money or legal issues with the animal’s owner right away.
- Document your injuries using photographs or medical records.
- Do not sign anything until you have spoken with a lawyer.
HOW CAN HABUSH HELP?
Habush Habush & Rottier is one of largest personal injury law firms in Wisconsin and has a team of lawyers who are experienced with dog and animal bite cases. Our team of expert attorneys are dedicated to ensuring you receive the compensation that you deserve for your animal bite injury. Navigating animal bite injury claims can be complex and it is important to have representation who can help you.
Contact our personal injury lawyers today to schedule your free initial consultation. During this consultation, a lawyer will review your case and offer you guidance on how best to proceed with legal action.
Who is responsible if a dog caused my injuries?
CONTACT
The experienced attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier are here to help you with your animal bite claim. To discuss the details of your case, contact us at 800-2-HABUSH (800-242-2874) today.