Dog Bites - Mitchell Rogers Injury Law

A dog bite can leave you with a serious injury. You cannot hold the animal that attacked you responsible for your injury. However, you may be able to seek damages from a pet owner. To do so, it may be beneficial to partner with dog bite & animal attack lawyers who specialize in premises liability. By choosing an attorney who specializes in this or other personal injury practice areas, you may be able to secure the most compensation possible.

At Mitchell Rogers Injury Law, we maintain a statewide presence in Nevada. We may be able to help you with your injury claim. Plus, we will not charge you anything unless we win or settle your case. To learn more, reach out to us.

What to Do After an Animal Attack

According to the American Pets Products Association (APPA), people spent $147 billion on pets in 2023. Many pet owners will commit significant time and resources to care for their animals. Regardless, these individuals may be unwilling to deal with the ramifications of an animal attack in spite of the fact that they may be liable.

If a dog or another animal attacks you, here are tips to help you deal with the aftermath:

Call 911. Ask medical personnel and police officers to come to the scene to assist you or anyone else who may be hurt.
Receive medical care. Go to a hospital or emergency room for a medical evaluation since this will give you additional insights into your injury and how to treat it.
Speak to the police. Share information about your attack with the police, and do not accept any responsibility for the incident.
Get the pet owner’s information. Request the name, address, and other contact information since you may need it if you want to file a claim for damages.
Gather evidence. Take photos and videos of your injury and other parts of the scene.

Along with these things, you may want to connect with a dog bite lawyer in Las Vegas, NV, after your attack. Next, your attorney can take a look at your case and go over your legal options with you.

Who Is Responsible for a Dog Bite or Animal Attack

A pet owner may be liable for a dog bite or animal attack. You may be able to submit a claim through this individual’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. This may allow you to receive damages that you can use to cover the costs of treating your injury and other attack-related expenses.

The Insurance Information Institute (III) points out that most homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies cover dog bite liability legal expenses. These may have coverage limits, which often range anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000. If you file a claim that exceeds an at-fault party’s coverage limit, this individual may still be held responsible for your damages. At this point, you may have to file a personal injury lawsuit to get compensation.

Dog bite lawyers understand the challenges that come with insurance claims. They can explain how these claims work and answer any questions you have about them. On top of that, they can help you submit a claim without putting an animal in danger.

What Will Happen to an Animal That Attacks You

Per Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 202-500, there are rules in place relating to “dangerous” or “vicious” dogs. If an animal attacks you, their owner is required to report the incident to a local public health or animal control department. In a situation where the owner chooses not to do so, they are breaking the law and may be punished accordingly.

Once an individual reports a pet attack, the animal is put into the “dangerous” category. This essentially places the pet owner on notice. The animal now has one strike against it but will not be euthanized based on a single attack.

Following a second attack, a dog may be classified as “vicious.” This may prompt euthanasia. Fortunately, if a pet owner takes appropriate actions following a first attack, they can keep their animal and anyone who comes into contact with it safe moving forward.

Your concerns regarding what may happen to an animal that attacked you are warranted. Yet, following an animal attack, you should do what is in your best interests. If you got hurt due to a pet owner’s negligence, it may be best to consult with a dog bite attorney. You and your lawyer can look for ways to prove the owner was negligent, which may help you get the most damages possible.

Proving Negligence

When you have a legal team at your side, you may have no trouble proving that a pet owner was negligent. It is your responsibility to prove negligence — if you cannot, a judge or jury may rule in an at-fault party’s favor. Here are four elements of negligence you must verify were present at the time of your animal attack:

Duty of Care: This means a party had a legal obligation to avoid careless and reckless acts that could lead their pet to attack you.
Breach of Duty of Care: The party ignored their obligation and put you at risk.
Causation: Due to the party’s actions, their animal attacked you.
Damages: You are dealing with an injury that has left you with quantifiable and subjective losses.

You may use attack scene photos and videos, medical records, and other forms of proof to support your argument. If you have an abundance of evidence, an animal attack lawyer may be able to build a compelling case. Your attorney can help you submit your claim and present an argument that convinces a judge or jury to award you 100% of the damages that you are requesting.

When to File an Animal Attack Claim

Dog bite attorneys generally encourage their clients to submit a claim as soon as possible following an animal attack. Based on NRS 11.190, you may have up to two years from the date you suffer a personal injury to seek damages. Beyond this time frame, you may be solely responsible for your injury-related losses.

An animal attack lawyer makes it easy to file a claim before the statute of limitations in which you can do so lapses. They will handle all aspects of your claim. Your lawyer can notify an at-fault party and their insurance company and work with them to get damages.

Just because a claim is filed does not guarantee that you will be awarded damages. You are responsible for collecting sufficient evidence that makes it clear to a judge or jury that you deserve compensation. If you have enough proof at your disposal, it may be difficult for a liable party or their insurer to contest your claim.

How a Dog Bite Attack Claim Works

When you partner with an animal attack attorney who works in Las Vegas or another Nevada location, you will get plenty of help at each stage of the claims process. Your lawyer will help you submit your claim, collect evidence, and develop an argument. At the same time, they will discuss your case with a liable party and their insurer in the hopes of getting you the compensation you want.

Animal attack attorneys may encourage their clients to ask for economic and non-economic damages. You may secure economic damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and other quantifiable losses. Alternatively, you may receive non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and other subjective losses.

Your attorney can share information about your attack with a liable party’s insurance company. Although you may believe it will be quick and simple to get money from an insurer, problems may arise. An insurance carrier may work diligently for its clients — not you. Therefore, the business may do everything within its power to deny your claim.

Rather than deal with an insurance company on your own, your lawyer gives you a helping hand. As your legal representative, they can negotiate with an insurer and make sure your legal rights are protected at this time. If no settlement is reached, your attorney can bring your case to trial.

How Comparative Negligence Applies to an Animal Attack Case

Based on NRS 41.141, you may share responsibility for your personal injury with someone else. If this is the case, you may be able to get only a portion of the damages you request. In the worst-case scenario, a judge or jury may say you are more liable than someone else for your dog bite injury. If this occurs, you may be ineligible for damages.

To understand how comparative negligence relates to your dog bite attack case, consider what may happen if a judge or jury says you are 20% liable. In this scenario, the defendant in your case is 80% liable. They may be ordered to pay 80% of the damages you initially sought. You are responsible for 20% of your losses.

Now, think about what may occur if a judge or jury finds you to be 51% at fault. You are primarily responsible for your injury. As a result, you may be responsible for all of the costs associated with it.

Animal Attack Cost

It may be a good idea to partner with an attorney who has received many positive client reviews. This lawyer may help you calculate the cost of your animal attack injury. They may urge you to pursue damages for many reasons, such as:

Emotional trauma
Medical bills
Lost wages
Pain and suffering

A pet attack may impact you long into the future. With guidance from your attorney, you may request a reasonable amount of damages. In addition, your lawyer may help you avoid mistakes during your litigation.

Dog Bite Case Mistakes to Avoid

You may get a phone call from the liable party or their insurance company within days of your animal attack. Either party may pressure you to accept a settlement. You may be tempted to approve the proposal since it will give you money you can use to treat your injury right away. On the other hand, doing so may prove to be a mistake, as it may wind up forcing you to have to pay some or most of your attack-related losses out of your own pocket.

Also, you may want to share updates with family members and friends about your attack via social media. You may post photos and videos of your injury on Facebook, X, and other social networks. These photos and videos may be accessible to anyone. Thus, the at-fault party and their insurance carrier may be able to view them. They may try to use the content you share in their case against you.

To avoid these mistakes and others that may compromise your ability to get damages, it may be helpful to work with an attorney. Throughout your litigation, your lawyer can share their legal insights with you. They may offer tips and recommendations on how to get a fair settlement.

Animal Attack Case Settlement

If the liable party in your case has concerns about the strength of your argument, they may propose a settlement. By approving a settlement, you will not have to go to trial. Instead, you will get money that may be used to cover your injury expenses and other attack-related losses.

Your lawyer will notify you if the defendant in your case offers a settlement. They may explain the proposal and address any questions or concerns you have about it. Your attorney may recommend how to proceed with the offer, but you have the final say on what to do with it.

There are no penalties if you decide to decline a settlement offer. Your lawyer will tell the defendant about your decision. From here, you and your attorney continue to look for ways to strengthen your case.

Hire a Lawyer

You do not have to deal with the consequences of an animal attack by yourself. The team at Mitchell Rogers Injury Law in Las Vegas, NV offers legal services and support to those who get hurt due to no fault of their own. We can review your case and help you decide if now is the right time to file a claim. To schedule a free case consultation, contact us today.

Dog Bite & Animal Attack Lawyers