You mustn’t feel bad about exercising your rights and taking legal action against a person and their dog. It doesn’t matter if they’re a friend, family, or a stranger: You need to protect your rights. This article will tell you how to protect your legal rights after a dog bite:
Call the Police
The first thing that you need to do is to call the police. A crazed dog on the loose can be very serious; the police will need to dispatch a unit to contain the animal. Calling the police is the first step toward protecting your rights. When you phone the police, it’s then logged in the police database. The units that respond will then record the incident and write a statement. You can use the attending officers’ statements in court. If you don’t think calling the police immediately is necessary, you may still have to report the incident to your local police force’s dog warden. The dog warden will investigate the incident and decide whether the dog is a danger or not.
Phone an Ambulance
If your injury is serious, you should also phone an ambulance. If you don’t think you need immediate medical attention, then you’ll still need to attend a hospital. Even superficial dog bites can become infected. You’ll also want to wash your wound with soap and antiseptic liquid. When you’re at the hospital, you’ll also be able to get a written medical certificate. This will show that you were injured by a dog; you’ll be able to use this later on in court.
Take Photographs
If you want to protect your rights, then you need to photograph your injuries. You could also try to get a photograph of the dog and its owner on the scene, assuming that your injury is not serious. Photographs will prove to be very useful if your case goes to court. They’re a very strong piece of evidence that will undoubtedly influence the case in your favor. Photographing the dog and its owner is also a good idea. This will help your lawyer and the police when it comes to identifying the person responsible. It also gives further weight to your case by proving the dog was present at the time that you were injured.
Contact a Lawyer
Most importantly, you will want to contact a lawyer. The legal specialists from https://the702firm.com say that you shouldn’t have to pay for your medical bills after somebody else’s dog has bitten you. This is a sentiment shared by us. A lawyer will be able to argue for compensation and get your medical bills reimbursed. A lawyer will also pursue your case and take it to court if necessary. In court, they’ll represent you and do all of the talking for you. Managing your own case can be very difficult, especially if you’ve got no prior legal experience. Leave it all to a trained attorney and take some time to rest.
Witness Statements
If there was anybody else present at the scene of the attack, then you should get their information and ask them to provide witness statements. These statements will add strength to your case. They’ll help you to receive the justice that you deserve. However, if you want to rest and don’t want to go out searching for witnesses, your lawyer will be able to do this for you. Your lawyer will assign an investigator to your case. This investigator will then search for witnesses, CCTV, and other evidence that can strengthen your case.
Don’t Admit Fault
As with every type of personal injury, you mustn’t ever admit fault. Even if you believe that you may have antagonized the dog, you shouldn’t admit fault. If a dog is unpredictable, it shouldn’t be in a position where it’s able to attack anybody. Don’t say anything on the scene, don’t apologize, and don’t admit responsibility. Only talk to your lawyer and give your statement to the police. When you’re giving your statement, don’t say that you were responsible or that the attack could have been avoided if you did anything differently. You can destroy your case by taking responsibility. If you’ve been bitten by a dog, then you need to find a lawyer. You also need to take all of the other points in this article into consideration and use them to get the compensation that you deserve.
