What Should I Do If I Or One Of My Children Are Bitten By A Dog?

Dogs are a popular pet in New Orleans. Unfortunately, that means that dog bite injuries are not an unusual occurrence. Should you become injured by a dog, there are a number of steps to consider taking.

The most important thing you can do, especially if you are badly injured, is to seek medical care for your wound. Once this has been accomplished, try to find out if the dog has had its rabies shots. After these initial steps have been taken, you can then look to protect your rights should you need to pursue a personal injury claim.

Once you are in a condition to do so, you should contact the local police department. They will prepare a report documenting the incident. Also, you should attempt to get name and address of the dog owner. If the owner is willing to share any information with you regarding his or her homeowner or renter insurance, obtain that also. This insurance may help pay for any medical attention you need as a result of being bitten.

You should also obtain the names of and contact information for anyone who saw the dog bite you. If the witnesses are familiar with the dog, ask them if they have ever seen the dog previously demonstrate any sort of aggressive behavior, such as biting, growling, or jumping on people. This information may be helpful in establishing that the dog posed an unreasonable risk of harm should you need to sue as a result of your injuries.

Finally, if an insurance company contacts you, do not sign any releases or make any statements to them regarding the incident.

If you are bitten by a dog in New Orleans and have any legal questions, please feel free to call our office at (504) 527-8767 regarding the incident.