A dog attack can cause severe injuries and emotional trauma. You may be unsure whether you can recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering. Our Edina dog bite lawyers will review your case and will explain your legal options. Our lawyers at Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys have experience handling these types of personal injury cases. Call us at (952) 697-5560.
We are state leaders in Minnesota in personal injury law. Our law firm has been fighting for the rights of injured victims since 1979. We’ll aggressively pursue your case to obtain the maximum compensation available for your damages. Our lawyers have expertise in cases such as Edina catastrophic injuries, Edina brain injuries, bicycle accidents, wrongful death, truck accidents , and more.
Our law firm takes personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Therefore, you do not need to worry about paying a retainer fee when you hire our Edina personal injury lawyers. Instead, we are only paid when we recover compensation for your case – we do not charge attorneys’ fees unless we win.
Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced dog bite attorney in Edina, Minnesota.
How Our Edina Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You With a Dog Bite Injury Claim if a Dog Bit You or Your Child
Dog bite injuries are expensive to treat. You could have lasting consequences if a dog bites you. You deserve compensation for your damages.
It is important to come forward to file a claim, even if the dog owner is a friend or someone you know. Their homeowner’s insurance policy might cover your losses and injuries. If not, you still deserve to be compensated for a dog attack that was not your fault.
Our Minnesota personal injury lawyers have recovered record-setting personal injury settlements and verdicts. We have won tens of millions of dollars for our clients. Our dedication and diligence are qualities we are proud to offer each client.
Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys is an award-winning Edina personal injury law firm. Our attorneys are on the Top 100 Trial Lawyers list by The National Trial Lawyers. We have been recognized by and received awards from Super Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, and Expertise.com.
When you hire our top-rated Edina dog bite lawyers, you can trust that we will handle all aspects of your case, including:
- Conducting a thorough investigation to determine the facts of your case and gathering evidence supporting your claim
- Obtaining records and reports from the animal control office and other government agencies
- Working with medical specialists and your doctors to document the extent of your injuries
- Calculating how much your dog bite case is worth and aggressively pursuing a settlement for that amount
- Filing all insurance claims and other documents to protect your right to compensation
- Negotiating with the insurance company for the full value of your damages
- Defending you against allegations of contributory fault
- Having a skilled trial lawyer argue your case in court, if necessary
Are you ready to seek justice from the person responsible for your injuries from a dog attack? Call Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced dog bite lawyer in Edina, MN.
Why Do Dogs Bite People?
More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year nationwide. Over 800,000 seek medical attention for dog bites annually, with about one-half of the victims being children.
Any dog can bite, even a beloved pet.
Common reasons for dog bites and attacks include, but are not limited to:
- The dog feels threatened
- A dog is protecting its puppies or a person
- The dog was asleep and startled awake
- A dog is sick, wounded, or in pain
- Dominance aggression
- A person attempted to break up a dog fight
- The dog is being harassed or provoked by someone
Sometimes a dog might nip and bite while playing. While the behavior is not aggressive, the dog could cause an injury. Therefore, owners need to train dogs not to play in that manner.
Some dogs are aggressive or have a history of viciousness. Dogs can also be trained to be vicious. The rule of thumb is any dog can bite, so always take precautions.
What Are the Dog Bite Laws in Minnesota?
Minnesota is a strict liability state for dog bites and attacks. Minnesota Statute §347.22 states that a dog owner is liable for damages if their dog bites, injuries, or attacks a person without provocation.
It is irrelevant whether the dog owner had previous knowledge that the dog had a vicious propensity. The court may impose absolute liability on a dog owner. Strict liability would apply even if the dog owner has evidence of the dog’s good behavior or that they took reasonable care to avoid the dog biting someone.
What Damages Can I Receive in an Edina Dog Bite Injury Claim?
Dog bite victims can recover compensation for their financial losses.
These losses are known as economic damages and include:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Psychological counseling and trauma therapy
- Future loss of income and medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Reconstructive surgery
A dog bite can also cause non-economic damages.
These damages are known as “pain and suffering” damages and include:
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Impairments and disabilities
- Decrease in quality of life
Other types of damages could be awarded depending on the facts of the case. The case could support an award for punitive damages, but juries only award these damages if you can prove the dog owner acted with extreme recklessness.
How Much Is My Edina Dog Bite Case Worth?
Many factors impact your compensation in a dog bite injury claim.
Some of the factors parties, insurance companies, and jurors consider when choosing a value for a dog bite case include:
- The type of injuries the person sustained
- The severity of the injuries and whether the person sustained permanent impairment, disability, scarring, or disfigurement
- The surgeries and medical treatment the person had to endure
- The total of lost wages, medical bills, and out-of-pocket expenses
- The strength of the evidence proving the claim
- The availability of liability insurance and the policy limits
- The duration of the recovery period
- Whether the victim is partially to blame for causing the dog to bite them
Our Edina dog bite attorneys will analyze every factor that impacts the value of your case. We’ll work to maximize the factors that increase the value of your claim while working to minimize negative factors that could hurt your case.
Can I Recover Compensation in a Dog Bite Claim if I’m Partial to Blame for Causing the Injury?
Minnesota has a modified comparative fault law. Being partially at fault for the cause of your injury will not automatically bar you from receiving compensation for a dog bite claim. However, it can impact your ability to recover full compensation.
If you are 51% or more at fault for causing a dog to bite you, you are barred from receiving any money for your claim. However, if your fault is less than 51 percent, you can receive a portion of your award. The amount of the jury award is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
Therefore, it is crucial to talk with a lawyer if the dog owner or insurance company blames you for causing the dog bite. Insurance adjusters often use comparative fault allegations to pressure a person into accepting a low settlement offer before they speak with an Edina dog bite lawyer.
Our Edina Dog Bite Attorneys at Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys Handle All Types of Injuries
A dog bite can cause severe trauma and injury. At Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys, we have the resources and experience to handle the most complex dog bite case.
Our legal team handles cases involving all types of dog bite injuries, such as:
- Lacerations and puncture wounds
- Nerve damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Infections, including rabies, sepsis, and many others
- Amputations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Traumatic brain injury, including concussions
- Broken bones and fractures
- Facial injuries
It is crucial that you seek immediate medical treatment for a dog bite. The consequences of a dog bite can include serious infections and long-term impairments. Without medical care, the risk of severe injury and damage increases.
Furthermore, you need to prove the extent of your injuries to recover compensation for damages from the dog owner. Detailed and accurate medical records are essential to winning a dog bite injury case.
You also want to take pictures of your injuries for your records. As soon as possible, notify the animal control agency and contact our Edina dog bite lawyers for a free appointment.
How Long Do I Have to File a Dog Bite Injury Lawsuit in Minnesota?
The Minnesota statute of limitations sets deadlines for dog bite victims to file a claim. A judge can dismiss your lawsuit if you do not file it in time.
The deadline that applies to your Minnesota dog bite lawsuit will depend on various factors, such as whether your cause of action is based on strict liability or negligence.
We strongly encourage you to contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our Edina dog bite injury lawyers. That way, we can determine the statute of limitations in your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Edina Dog Bite Lawyers
A dog bite claim can be challenging to win if the dog owner or insurance company disputes the claim. Before you talk with an insurance adjuster or accept a settlement offer, take advantage of our free case review with an experienced Edina dog bite attorney. We will give you an honest legal opinion you can trust to be in your best interest.
Our personal injury law firm in Edina, MN, also provides:
- Car Accident Lawyers in Edina, MN
- Catastrophic Attorney in Edina
- Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Edina
- Brain Injury Attorney in Edina, MN
- Motorcycle Lawyer in Edina, MN
- Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in Edina
- Truck Accident Lawyer in Edina
- Wrongful Death Lawyer in Edina, MN
