Dog Bite Lawyer

While most of us see dogs are people’s best friends, there are times when dog bites cause serious injuries. At Russell & Hill – Injury & Accident Attorneys, we are here to help you secure compensation if you have been injured by a dog bite. These cases can become complex, but you should be entitled to compensation for what has happened. Let our qualified and experienced attorneys investigate what happened and work with insurance carriers. Call us when you need an dog bite attorney by your side.

Are dog bites common?

With an estimated 90 million dogs in US households as pets, it is inevitable that bite injuries will happen. While the majority of dogs never cause any harm, there are still 4.5 million dog bite incidents in the country each year. Not all of those bites cause serious injury, but the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tells us that around 20% of all dog bite victims require medical attention.

Anyone can be a victim of a dog bite injury. However, children and the elderly are most at risk of serious injury because they cannot defend themselves or as easily escape the situation. Over half of all dog bite incidents involve children.

Dogs have powerful jaws, especially larger breeds. This can lead to serious injuries for victims. It is not uncommon for our Arlington dog bite lawyers to help clients with the following injuries following an incident:

• Severe damage to soft tissue
• Severed ligaments, veins, arteries, and tendons
• Broken bones
• Amputation of the fingers

Who is liable in these cases?

In many cases, a dog bite is not anyone’s fault – not the dog owner or the person who was bitten. However, there are times when a dog owner’s actions lead to the bite. This could be due to the owner:

• Leaving a door or gate open, allowing the dog to escape
• Allowing a dog that is known to be aggressive be around other people
• Letting a dog off its leash despite laws designed to prevent that

A dog owner can be held liable for damages in Washington if their dog bites someone who is on public property (or lawfully in a private place), and that person did not provoke the dog to bite. Due to Washington’s “strict liability” dog bite law, the owner can be held accountable even if this is the first time their dog has bitten someone.

We can secure the compensation you deserve

If you or a loved one have been bitten and injured by a dog, you should seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At Russell & Hill – Injury & Accident Attorneys, our knowledgeable and experienced dog bite lawyers in Arlington understand that you need compensation for what has happened. This could include:

• All of your medical expenses related to the bite
• Lost income if you cannot work while you recover
• Pain and suffering damages
• Loss of enjoyment of life damages
• Possible punitive damages against the dog’s owner

Insurance carriers can be notoriously difficult to deal with, so let us handle them for you. If you need an Arlington personal injury attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 800-529-0842.