These days, animal attacks have become relatively uncommon as the more frequent causes of injuries have been coming from dog bites. Unfortunately, any pet, whether trained or not, can still inflict damage. Domestic animals are mainly under the responsibility of their owners and as the person bitten or in any way harmed, you have the right to file for a personal injury claim.

Initial Steps to Take

Here are some of the first things that you should do when you or your loved one have suffered an injury from a dog bite.

• Gather evidence and information about the owner. Like any personal injury case, make sure that you have enough evidence to support your claim. You can start with getting the owner’s name, address, insurance, and contact information. Also, try to have photographs of the dog, the actual bite, and the area where it happened. It is better to have someone help you out during this process.

• Seek medical attention immediately. It is imperative that you head to the nearest doctor or hospital and have the bite checked as you can be prone to infection, viruses, bacteria, and of course, rabies.

• Report the attack to the authorities. For the animal attack to be properly documented and acted on, you need to involve the police and/or animal control in your area.

• Keep all receipts and any record of treatment. This will help you easily declare the overall cost that incurred from the injury.

“One Bite Rule”

In the State of Texas we are still generally practicing the “one bite” rule, wherein the owner will be held liable for the injuries caused if the complainant can prove that the owner knew or should have known that the dog might bite or attack.

This might be a bit complicated to prove for some cases as both glaring and circumstantial evidences need to be presented. The plaintiff can start with the dog’s breed, medical history, and condition. Certain breeds have been marked aggressive by the law, specifically American Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, and Fila Brasileiro.

It is important also to keep in mind that not all personal injury cases from animal attacks are as simple as showing a dog bite and holding the owner responsible. There are still many factors to consider. If you or your loved one are in need of legal assistance in making your claim, give us a call and schedule a free consultation with Mike Warner of the Warner Law Firm today here in Amarillo.