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Georgia Animal And Dog Attack Attorney

Many of us are dog and animal lovers and would never want our pet or animal to hurt another pet or a human being. It is, therefore, imperative that we are aware of our legal responsibilities when it comes to our animals and pets. In the United States, millions of people are attacked or bitten by a dog or animal every year. Many of these incidents result in an injury that is severe enough to require medical attention and some are even so severe that they cause permanent disabilities or damages such as scarring, and in some tragic cases even wrongful death.
The owner of the animal is responsible for these injuries in Georgia, so it is imperative that not only the owner know his/her responsibilities but that the injured know his or her legal rights in these circumstances. It may seem on the surface that these cases are straightforward. This is usually not the case, however. In some cases, the animal owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy may cover the incident. In other cases, if the injury happened on the job, then the employer’s workers compensation insurance may play a role in the recovery.
The lesson to be learned here is to take your time and not try to settle your case too quickly with any insurance company or individual until you have sought legal counsel so that you are aware of all of your rights. At the same time, you do not want to wait too long after an incident to seek medical treatment and legal advice as there are strict time limitations in these cases and waiting to get medical treatment can be very detrimental to your case. Furthermore, you will want to make sure that you have fully recovered from your injuries before you rush to settlement with anyone or any entity in these types of cases.
As with many tort cases involving insurance companies, the insurance company will be quick to settle the claim in order to pay the least amount of money possible under the circumstances. Remember, the insurance company is looking out for the interests of the animal owner, or the insured, and is not looking out for your best interests. The only person that will look out for your best interest in an animal or dog bite attack case is a competent Georgia dog bite attorney.
At Julie A. Rice, Attorney at Law, & Affiliates, we have many years of experience representing people who have been injured in personal injury cases. Many of our attorneys have also previously worked for the very insurance companies that defend these types of cases so we know the tactics that insurance companies use to devalue your claim. If you or a loved one has been involved in a case involving an animal attack or dog bite, then please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your case at 770-865-8654, juliericelaw@icloud.com or by using the contact form on our website.

Animal Attack Safety Tips

It is imperative that we learn how to stay safe. The most deadly and serious attacks by dogs happen to children who are visiting, or temporarily living, in the home of a friend of the family, a babysitter or a relative. Most of these attacks occur when the owner whom the child is visiting owns a Rottweiler or a pit bull. It is important to note that the following scenarios are the most dangerous scenarios and should be avoided at all costs:

  • Having a small child such as a toddler or an infant being left alone with any type of dog, regardless of the breed;
  • Going up to a vehicle where a dog is inside or is in the back of a truck; or
  • Coming across a dog that is on a chain.

It is important to always remember the following rules, and to teach your children the same:

  • Don’t turn on a dog so that your back is facing the dog and then run away from the dog;
  • Don’t interrupt a dog that is taking care of its puppies;
  • Don’t interrupt a dog that is eating or sleeping;
  • Don’t put your face up close to a dog where you could be bitten; and
  • Don’t pet a dog unless the dog sees you first.

If you find yourself in a situation where you think that you might be attacked observe the following rules:

  • Do not run and scream;
  • Do not make eye contact with the dog and do not make any motions while keeping your hands at your sides;
  • If the dog begins to lose interest in you, then back away slowly until the dog is no longer in your sight;
  • If the dog begins to attack, then put an object between yourself and the dog such as your jacket, a bicycle, a handbag, a backpack or anything else that will separate you from the dog; and
  • If the dog knocks you to the ground or you fall to the ground, then roll up into a ball placing your hands over your ears and do not move, scream, or make a rolling motion.

Finally, what do you do if a dog or other animal has attacked you? You should seek medical attention immediately. It has been shown that dog attacks that are severe often cause the victims damage that may be irreparable and that can cost from $ 250,000 to over $ 1,000,000 in medical treatment that is specialized such as skin grafts, surgery for reconstruction, expansion of tissue, and the diminishment of scars.

Many of these procedures take a period of years and are multiple in nature. This is another reason why is vital that if you or a loved one has been involved in an animal attack or dog bite, no matter how severe, that you contact us as soon as possible at 770-865-8654 or juliericelaw@icloud.com so that we can make sure that you receive all of the proper medical and legal attention that you deserve. At Julie A. Rice, Attorney at Law, & Affiliates we are here to assist you in any way that we can, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.