Practice Areas / Personal Injury
Dog Bite Attorneys Omaha NE
Nearly five million people across the US experience unexpected dog bites annually, whether they are bitten by their own dog or someone else’s. Because of this, it’s common practice for homeowner’s insurance to cover the medical expenses attributed to dog bites, but according to statistics, insurance only pays about 2% of dog bite victims who seek medical help.
If you’ve been bitten by a dog
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the bite, you may have options for pursuing a case against the owners of the dog who bit you. If the dog’s owners are renters, they won’t have homeowner’s insurance, and therefore you won’t easily receive compensation for your injuries and medical bills.
In this case, if you want to recover damages and pay for your medical bills, you’ll need to hire an attorney to handle the case for you.
If you’ve been sued for a dog bite contact a lawyer
Even if you think you can handle it on your own, you may want to contact a professional, experienced attorney to help you sort out your options. Most homeowners are insured with policies that cover dog bites, but if you aren’t insured, the court will determine how you must proceed.
A lawyer can look at the details and give you sound advice as to what you need to do to avoid a huge lawsuit and settle as soon as possible to avoid further damage.
The person bitten by your dog may take you to small claims court, and you’ll need to appear and defend yourself to the best of your ability. It is best, however, to consult with an attorney even for small claims court, because their expertise and experience can make or break your case.
There is the potential that you might be sued in higher courts, and in that case you’ll need to retain a licensed attorney to represent you.
The reason you need an attorney to represent you in the higher courts is because the process can be confusing and tedious, and a lawyer will know the complicated processes and rules that you are unaware of.
If you can’t afford to have an attorney represent you, it is possible to hire one just to consult with. This would be better than not retaining any counsel. The benefit to hiring an attorney to represent you is that they will know how to get the other party to settle out of court, which costs everyone less time and money.
What to do if you’ve received a letter from a lawyer
If you receive a letter from a lawyer representing a dog bite victim, the best thing to do is to respond right away. However, the only information you should respond with is your insurance information. Do not give any information regarding your dog or the alleged incident.
It’s best to contact an attorney for counsel prior to responding to such a letter to discuss the details of your case and let them guide you toward your next best step.
