There are two important aspects to recovering from a dog bite. You might know to seek medical treatment, but a Plymouth meeting personal injury attorney is also important. If you don’t take the time to learn how to protect your legal rights in a dog attack, you may suffer a financial burden as a result. These tips can help you recover physically and financially from the attack.
Seeking Medical Treatment
As with any personal injury case, getting medical treatment soon after the incident is important. It shows that you have done everything within your power to recover from the incident. Some people delay treatment, because they think that allowing their injuries to worsen will entitle them to a larger settlement amount. In fact, the opposite is true and, if your case goes to court, a judge may limit how much you can claim as a result. For this reason, it’s in your best interests to treat your dog bite as soon as possible.
Stop the Bleeding – Cover the wound with a clean cloth to help control the bleeding. Additionally, you should try to keep the injury elevated until you can receive proper medical treatment. This will help reduce blood flow to the area.
Clean the Wound – The bite should be cleansed with lukewarm water and antibacterial soap as soon as possible. This will help prevent infection until you can have the wound properly dressed by a medical processional.
Apply Antibiotics – Once you have been treated by your caregiver, you may be prescribed a prescription strength antibiotic lotion or ointment. This should be reapplied to the wound daily, or according to your doctor’s instructions. This will help reduce the risks of infection as the bite heals.
Your Legal Responsibilities After a Dog Bite
The first thing you should do, even before a Plymouth meeting personal injury attorney, is to document the incident. You should begin by collecting the name and contact information for the dog owner, as well as information from any witnesses to the bite. If the bite happened on the dog owner’s property, it may also be helpful to collect information for the individual’s homeowner’s insurance policy.
You may choose to file a complaint with the local animal control office. This can help in cases where a dog has shown a propensity for aggression. In these cases, the animal control office may confiscate the dog rather than take the chance that he will attack others. The investigation conducted by the animal control officer may also help you in pursuing your claim.
Once you have received medical treatment and have contacted animal control, it may be time to set up a Plymouth meeting personal injury attorney. An attorney can evaluate your case and help you determine the best course of action for pursuing damages for your injuries. In many cases, your lawyer can arrange for a fair settlement on your behalf without having to go to court. If you have been the victim of a dog bite, contact Durlofsky Law Offices as soon as possible. We can help guide you through the claim process, so you can recover from this incident and resume your normal life.
Sources:
https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/dog-bites#1
https://injury.findlaw.com/torts-and-personal-injuries/what-to-do-after-a-dog-bite.html
