You’re minding your own business, when all of a sudden, you see a dog approaching rather quickly. By the time you discern whether or not the dog is a threat, it’s on top of you and you’re being attacked. You did nothing wrong, yet someone’s poorly trained or vicious dog critically injured you because they failed to keep it under control. Though these attacks can be traumatizing and physically devastating, there’s a strong chance you’ll have legal recourse. Read on and reach out to our Jacksonville personal injury attorneys to learn more about how we can help if you were attacked by a dog. Here are some of the questions you may have:
What should I do after being attacked by a dog?
During the attack, the first thing you should do is try to get the dog off you in any way you can. After the attack, if you can, you should call the police at once and ensure emergency services are sent to the scene. You should take pictures of your injuries, gather witness contact information, and ensure you keep a copy of all medical documentation pertaining to the injury. You should then make it a point to hire a knowledgeable legal team that can work to track down witnesses, ask neighbors about whether the dog has been violent in the past, obtain veterinary records, surveillance footage, and any other type of evidence that can work to prove your personal injury claim.
What constitutes a valid dog bite claim in Florida?
To start, you should understand that if the dog owner can prove that you were teasing the dog, trespassing, or purposefully ignored a “BAD DOG” sign and were attacked, you may not have a valid claim. However, if you were attacked either while lawfully on private property (e.g. your cousin invites you to his house and his dog attacks you for no reason) or while on public property (e.g. you were walking on a public sidewalk and a dog snapped at you, out of nowhere) you should have a valid dog bite claim.
Our firm has fought on behalf of countless dog bite victims over the years, and we’re prepared to fight for you as well. Pick up the phone and give us a call today so we can begin working on your case.
Contact our experienced Florida firm
Ansbacher Law is composed of knowledgeable attorneys who are ready to assist clients with various legal matters throughout North Florida. We understand the urgency of your personal injury claim and additional legal matters, which is why we provide each of our clients with compassionate and efficient legal assistance, every step of the way. Please contact our office for an initial consultation today.