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Cobb Personal Injury Dog Bite Lawyer
No one likes to think of their dog as dangerous, but responsible dog owners should always stay vigilant. Bite injuries can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Dog attacks can be incredibly violent and result in severe injuries, causing significant pain and trauma to a victim. In Georgia, negligent dog owners may be held personally liable for failing to protect other people, particularly when their pet has a previous bite history.
According to Georgia dog bite laws, owners are responsible for any injuries or civil damages caused by the actions of their animals. Sadly, children are at a much higher risk of being attacked by a dog, likely due to their less intimidating size and inability to read or react to subtle warning signs. If you or a child has been attacked by a dog, get a Georgia dog bite lawyer on your side. Cobb Personal Injury attorneys will investigate, gather evidence, and negotiate on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve.
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Dog Bite Lawsuit
As long as you were not committing a crime, illegally trespassing, or provoking the dog when the bite occurred, you may be eligible to file an insurance claim or sue a dog owner for their negligence. At Cobb Personal Injury, our lawyers understand the deep, lasting damage caused by dog attacks. Dog bite wounds often result in disfiguring scars that may require a skilled plastic surgeon to repair. In addition to severe injuries, dog attacks can be incredibly traumatic, resulting in lifelong fears and phobias.
Cobb Personal Injury clients have access to an experienced team of highly skilled lawyers capable of capturing the full impact a dog attack can have on your physical and mental well-being.
Getting Results for Our Clients for Over 5 Years!
"Cobb Personal Injury Got Me $245,000 for My Dog Attack Claim!"
Very grateful for this law office, especially Traci Trippe and Marta Childers. They helped me out and made sure I got the best result. They also gave me a fair opportunity on my settlement. Thanks again!
Silvestre Leal
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What to Do After a Dog Bite
Get Help
Immediately after a dog bite, your focus should be on getting help. Once you are in a safe place and stable, call 911 and request police and emergency medical services if needed. Filing a police report for a dog bite as soon as possible will serve as valuable evidence to help your case. Additionally, the police may want to temporarily seize the dog for animal control evaluation or as evidence.
Gather Information
Before you leave the area of the attack, it’s important to identify the dog and the person who was caring for the animal when it acted violently. If possible, document the owner’s name, address, and phone number. You will need to know the dog’s medical and vaccination history to avoid a series of unpleasant rabies vaccinations.
Collect Evidence
If possible, collect as much evidence from the scene as possible. Take photographs and videos of the area where you were attacked, photograph your injuries, and document everything you can that’s related to the events leading up to, during, and after the animal attacked. Try to request contact information from any witnesses. Their testimony may be required if your case goes to court.
Seek Medical Care
Even if you believe your injuries can be treated at home, you should always seek medical attention after an animal attack. Infections and wound complications are all too common with dog bites. Gather any relevant medical records, receipts, or documented travel expenses in a single location. Good record keeping is always helpful to support dog bite insurance claims and makes it easier for your lawyer to build a winning case against a negligent pet owner.
How Much is a Dog Bite Case Worth?
Dog bite settlements are unique to each individual situation. Amounts can vary drastically based on the circumstances of the attack, the severity of injuries, and any future prognosis. More than physical injuries, dog bite attacks can result in severe emotional damage, diminishing your quality of life. You may be eligible to recover compensation to help cover the cost and impact of any trauma you’ve endured. An experienced dog bite attorney at Cobb Personal Injury will review your case for free and help you pursue maximum compensation under the law.
Georgia Dog Bite Laws
Georgia dog bite laws hold owners responsible for unprovoked attacks or injuries to a person as long as it can be proven the owner knew the dog was at risk of dangerous or vicious behaviors and failed to properly restrain the animal.
In some cases, proving a dog is a known risk to others is as simple as showing the dog was carelessly unleashed or unrestrained and in violation of local leash ordinances or city leash laws. But other dog bite cases are more complex and may involve dogs with a previously known history of aggressive behavior.
Georgia Dangerous Dog Laws
If a dog is classified as “dangerous” or “vicious” by the state, owners have a responsibility to protect other people from being injured or attacked.
Dangerous Dogs
More than nips and scratches, these dogs have a history of biting and/or aggressive attacks that threaten or inflict serious injury. After being deemed a dangerous dog, the animals are not permitted to be off the owner’s property unless they are restrained on a leash no longer than 6 feet or locked in a crate. An exception does exist for working dogs, who may be unleashed while they are training or working to herd, hunt, or manage predators.
Vicious Dogs
Dogs classified as vicious have attacked someone without provocation in the past, causing serious or life-threatening injuries. These dogs must remain securely confined to the owner’s property unless they are fully muzzled and leashed or fully contained within a locked crate or cage. Once classified as vicious, these animals cannot be left alone with minors and cannot be sold or given away. There are no exceptions for working dogs that have been classified as vicious.
Georgia Dog Bite Laws and Statute of Limitations
If you need a dog bite injury lawyer, call Cobb Passional Injury as soon as possible. Georgia law gives victims two years from the day of the attack to file a claim. But the longer you wait the more likely you are to lose evidence or misplace records. Call a personal injury lawyer today so we can get started on your behalf.
In the event you or someone you love has been bitten by a dog, contact a Cobb Personal Injury attorney to learn more about your rights and legal options. We may be able to help you recover damages and get you the compensation you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most homeowners’ insurance cover dog bites. However, the best way to know if your own personal homeowner’s insurance policy covers damages occasioned by bites from your dog is to look at your policy. Speak with your insurance agent or broker if you do not see on the policy that your insurance specifically covers liability from dog bites or how much your coverage is.
If you have an award or a settlement in your favor in a personal injury litgation or claim, it is usually the insurance company of the person liable who will pay you. You will usually receive the amount agreed upon in the settlement or the amount in the award. You will usually receive a check for the entire amount unless in the settlement, you had agreed to multiple payments. In that case, you will get several checks.
An umbrella insurance usually covers liability for damage that your regular homeowner’s or renter’s or personal liability insurance do not cover. For instance, if you have homeowner’s insurance of up to $100,000 but your liability for damages caused by your dog biting another person is $150,000, the umbrella insurance should cover the $50,000 that exceeds the coverage of your homeowner’s insurance. Check your policy.
