Step 2: Seek Immediate Medical Attention. Take some time each day to record your pain level, what you needed to do to treat your injuries and your emotional state. If you've been bitten by a dog, you should understand your legal rights. If you are attacked by a dog in Baltimore, there are steps you can take to protect your rights. This tough time is not your fault, you should not have to suffer. The new (now seven-year-old) Maryland law actually expands liability because it provides that same tough standard imposed on pit bulls to all dogs. The dog bite law in Maryland imposes strict liability on dog owners for personal injuries or fatalities caused by any dog breed while running at large. By statute, if you were in the process of committing a crime or trespassing, the owner does not owe the same duty to you to make sure their dog does not bite you. Individuals around dogs have the responsibility to not abuse or provoke the animals. So, when you hire our Baltimore personal injury lawyers to help you with your dog bite case, we will: Walk You Through the Legal Process. You should identify the owner or caretaker of the dog, getting names and addresses in the event you need to contact them. Pus, oozing, or other fluid discharge from the bite. Treatment costs are high, the pain may be severe, and you may even be out of work due to your injuries. Allow your dog bite attorney to calculate the non-economic damages in your case.
Our lawyers handle dog bite personal injury cases in Maryland on behalf of victims and their Bites Cause Serious Injuries. Puncture wounds, flesh tears, and bruises. The results of a dog bite injury can be devastating. After you are injured in a dog bite incident, you may find yourself preoccupied with your physical recovery. Dogs bite people for a variety of reasons. No matter how minor your injuries are, you should file a dog bite report with the relevant authorities. Reported 23 fatal dog attacks in 2008. In some cases, you may be able to recover non-economic damages as well, including for harms and losses suffered. Of love and companionship.
Mutts (mixed-breed dogs). You can rely on him for aggressive, yet compassionate personal injury representation. If you are the victim of a dog bite injury, you could be entitled to economic and noneconomic damages, including medical bills, lost wages, the impact to future wages, pain and suffering, and the loss of consortium. For example, if a dog runs up and jumps on a pedestrian walking down the sidewalk, knocking the pedestrian down and causing injury, the dog's owner can be held liable for those injuries. However, things are not always that simple. Here are some answers to those questions: What steps should I take after a dog bite injury? You can't calculate an average payout looking at sample verdicts and settlements. The second theory of liability is negligence. Get in touch with us today by calling (410) 525-5337.
Obtaining the dog's medical history. Broken bones and soft tissue damage. According to the changes, the law states that if the injured person can show that the dog caused the injury, the owner will be held liable. However, not all injuries are immediately apparent after a dog bite incident, and the mental effects of the incident could also take time to surface. The court upheld that there were three elements that had to be proven against the defendant to show negligence: - Owning the dog. Dogs shower our families with copious amounts.
As soon as possible, even before you call a lawyer, take pictures of your injuries and make sure you don't talk to the insurance company about your injuries or details about the dog bite itself. The mauling that occurred in that case was indeed horrendous and the victims were children. Maritime Accident Lawyers in Baltimore, MD. In order for a Maryland dog bite lawyer to prove negligence, four elements must be present in the case: - Duty. Contacting a dog bite lawyer should be one of your priorities in the immediate aftermath of an attack. Top personal injury lawyers such as Pinder Plotkin are actually able to settle 98 percent of cases without the need for a trial. The victim's expected recovery timeline. Dog attacks can easily leave children with both physical and emotional scars. Non-economic damages are losses that you cannot quantify. Medical treatment may be necessary to prevent infection. If you do not file a lawsuit before the expiration of the statute of limitations, the court can permanently dismiss your case. Let us consider the one-bite rule. If you are not able to act for yourself, contact an attorney to come to the scene and act on your behalf.
Over the past couple of decades, the state of Maryland has updated its dog bite statute on several occasions. However, there have been recent changes to the dog bite laws that you should discuss with an attorney. I would absolutely recommend this firm to anyone in need! You have three years to file your lawsuit after being attacked. To find out whether you could have a personal injury case, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free legal consultation, or contact us online.
Taking photos of the injuries. A well-trained, obedient dog can make a wonderful pet. The law places strict liability on dog owners whenever their animal attacks and injures a human being. Those cases often end up dismissed by the courts, so do not expect to receive compensation. The court highlighted the fact that pit bulls have the tendency to bite and even kill without warning or signal and are selectively bred to have especially powerful jaws and extreme aggressiveness.
Do not let your child approach a dog you do not know, especially if the dog is tied up or confined. Civil law in the state of Maryland operates on a pure contributory negligence basis. Dogs who have attacked other dogs while unprovoked also fall under this classification. Ask whether the dog is current on shots, especially rabies. There are over 60 different kinds of bacteria living in dogs' mouths, which can result in the following diseases: - Rabies. This theory of liability is also referred to as strict liability.