If you’re a dog owner, you no doubt consider your dog to be your best friend, or at least a close member of the family. However, dogs can be unpredictable, turning aggressive at time without any provocation or warning. Dog bite accidents are very common, with around 4.5 million people bitten by dogs each year across the United States. While not all dog bites are serious, dog bite attacks can be quite serious, leading to lifelong disabilities and impairments—and even death. If you or your child or loved one has experienced a dog bite attack, our Kirkland dog bite accident attorney can help you collect damages from the dog’s owner or his insurance company, helping you get your life back on track following the attack.
Russell and Hill has a long history of helping accident victims—including dog bite accident victims—get the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Victims in dog bite attacks are often injured so significantly that they need months or even years of therapy and rehabilitation to reach normalcy again, and some will never experience a normal life again, instead being burdened by impairments and disabilities related to the attack. If you are attacked by a dog, you have a right to recover medical expenses, lost income, and monetary awards for pain and suffering from the owner of the dog.
Around one in five people bitten by dogs are bitten so severely that they require medical help to treat their injuries. In Washington State, dog owners are held accountable for the injuries their dogs inflict, provided the dog was not provoked and the person injured was not trespassing at the time of the attack. Dog owners are required under state law to keep their dogs under control at all times and on a leash when in public. A dog running at large poses a huge problem for dog owners and puts the public at risk, particularly elderly people or children, who are commonly targeted in dog bite attacks. In fact, dog bites are the second-leading cause of childhood injury.
Dog bite claims in Washington State amounted to almost $14 million in just 2017 alone, according to data retrieved from the Insurance Institute of America. Dog bite damages typically include compensation for medical costs, costs of future medical care, lost income, future lost income, temporary and permanent disability, emotional anguish, and pain and suffering. Dog bite accident victims who sustained permanent disfigurement or scarring often receive enhanced monetary awards.
Dog bite claims can be tricky. Establishing liability is generally straightforward, but it can take a difficult and complex turn when there are multiple potential defendants, such as when the dog dwells at a rental home or the accident occurs in public. A Kirkland dog bite accident attorney who knows the ropes when it comes to this type of claim is an invaluable tool for the accident victim. Contact Russell and Hill to set up a no-cost consultation with our dog bite team now.
