BITTEN BY A DOG – SHOULD I HIRE A LAWYER?

Our dog bite lawyers get new calls from people every day throughout Minnesota. One of the first questions is whether you need a lawyer after a dog bite.  Of course, it is in our best interest to say yes. We are a business and we need new clients to stay in business. However, the truth is you do not need a lawyer in every dog bite case.

The decision to hire a lawyer really depends on the situation. The first thing to consider is the seriousness of the injury. If you have couple of puncture marks that will heal well, you might consider not getting a lawyer. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do anything. If the dog appears vicious, or the dog owner seems to not care, you should still call the police or animal control.

Even if your injury from the dog is more serious, you do not have to hire a lawyer. Your health insurance will pay your medical bills either way. Some people don’t think paying money for an injury is appropriate, and that is your decision. However, we disagree with that. Most people who don’t seek compensation for a serious injury regret it later. Here is one example why: It is sad but true people with a significant scar earn less during their career. If the dog owner has insurance to compensate for that, you should consider getting a lawyer to bring a claim.

SHOULD I HIRE A LAWYER IF I AM RELATED TO OR FRIENDS WITH THE DOG OWNER?

If you hire a lawyer to pursue a claim against the dog owner’s insurance, nothing bad will happen to them. Will their insurance rates go up? Of course, that is possible. Will something happen to the dog. Again, also possible. However, the effect on the dog owner will be far less than the effect on you. For a bad dog bite scar, the compensation can be significant, for good reason. Any increase in insurance premium for the dog owner will be very slight by comparison. Also, bringing a claim will not effect the dog, but law enforcement can and often should take action against a dangerous dog.

CAN YOU DISCUSS YOUR DOG BITE SITUATION WITH A LAWYER WITHOUT HIRING THEM?

When you call our office, we start out with a free lawyer consultation. Our dog bite lawyers will assess the situation to determine if it’s worth it for you and for us. Either way, there is no obligation to hire us. Further, we never charge anything unless we recover compensation for you. If you have been injured by a dog in Minnesota, call us.