If you or a child were bitten by a dog in Minneapolis, MN, you may be entitled to seek compensation from the dog’s owner. Call an experienced Minneapolis dog bite lawyer at Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys to help you fight to recover fair compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering at (800) 292-1979.
Our lawyers have over 40 years of collective experience standing up for injured clients like you. We handle all types of injury cases like child injuries, Minneapolis pedestrian accidents, wrongful death cases, Minneapolis electrocution injuries, and more. We would be proud to use our knowledge of the law to your advantage.
Dog bite injuries can be serious. It’s never too early to explore your legal options after an injury. Contact our law offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to schedule your free consultation today.
How Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help With My Dog Bite Injury Case in Minneapolis
A serious animal attack can be a traumatic experience. While dog owners can be held accountable for their animal’s behavior, recovering fair compensation isn’t always easy. Filing a claim with insurance can be frustrating–and you shouldn’t have to fight the insurer on your own.
The experienced Minneapolis personal injury attorneys at Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys can handle the legal issues while you recover.
Over the years, members of our team have received many different accolades. We’ve received recognition as Attorney of the Year for 2021 by Minnesota Lawyer, and we’ve earned a place on the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. We’ve also earned an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Hiring our experienced attorneys give you an advocate to:
- Gather evidence to support your case
- Determine how much your damages claim is worth
- Retain experts and specialists who can prove complex aspects of your case
- Handle all paperwork and legal issues
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for the fair compensation you need
Our Minneapolis personal injury lawyers can force the insurance companies to take your case seriously. You can get the help you deserve by calling for a free case evaluation today.
How Common Are Dog Bite Injuries in Minnesota?
According to the CDC, more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by dogs each year. Over 800,000 of those dog bite victims seek medical attention for serious injuries.
In Minnesota alone, dog bite victims report about 370 dog bite injuries to insurance companies each year. On average, victims of dog bites receive about $32,198 to cover the cost of their injuries.
What Is My Minneapolis Dog Bite Claim Worth?
If you were injured, you’re probably curious about your case value. The honest answer is that all personal injury cases are different.
Of course, many different factors are relevant when assessing your case value. Dog bite injuries tend to have the strongest impact on young children. Sadly, young children are common dog bite victims–and the trauma and suffering the victim endures can impact your case value.
Additional factors that are relevant include:
- The nature and severity of your dog bite injuries
- Whether you lose income during recovery or care for a child
- How the injury impacts your future education, work, and quality of life
- The cost of your medical treatment
- Your need for ongoing medical care, reconstructive surgeries, or treatments
- Whether you will suffer any permanent scarring, disfigurement, or impairment
- The circumstances of the animal attack
- Whether your case is based on negligence or strict liability laws
To recover compensation, most dog bite victims file a claim with the dog owner’s homeowners’ insurance company. Insurance companies will go to great lengths to downplay the victim’s injuries and damages. It’s important to have an experienced lawyer in your corner to protect your best interests.
At Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our Minneapolis dog bite attorneys are available to discuss your case today. Just give us a call to schedule your free case evaluation today.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Dog Bites?
Dog owners can be held liable for all of a victim’s losses, or damages, when their dog causes an injury.
Compensatory damages in Minnesota are divided into two categories: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are designed to make a victim whole again, at least from a financial perspective. You can pursue compensation for any cost you incur because of the injury.
Examples of economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Reconstructive surgeries and specialized treatments
- Rehabilitation
- Counseling
- Property damage
Non-economic damages are your more personal losses.
Some common examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- PTSD
- Fear of animals
- Depression
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
- Anxiety
- Loss of consortium
If the dog owner’s behavior was especially shocking, the courts may even award punitive damages as punishment. For example, if the dog owner trained the dog to attack in a vicious manner, courts may be inclined to award punitive damages.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for Provoking a Dog to Bite in Minnesota?
Minnesota follows modified comparative negligence rules. In personal injury cases based on negligence, a victim can lose their right to seek compensation if they’re mostly responsible for their own injuries.
However, if your share of fault is less than the other party’s, you can recover a portion of your settlement or verdict.
One primary defense asserted by dog owners is that the victim provoked the dog bite. If they can prove that you provoked the dog to bite, your compensation can be reduced to the extent that your dog bite injuries were your own fault.
Proving shared fault can be difficult. However, insurance companies often rely on the Minnesota statute in order to reduce their own liability. If you’re being blamed for provoking the dog, contact our law firm for help right away. We know how to help you minimize these allegations.
Our Attorneys Will Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
The severity of a dog bite injury can depend on many different factors. The sizes of both the dog and the victim are important. Injuries can often be much more severe if the dog is powerful enough to force the victim to the ground.
At Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our lawyers represent dog bite victims who have sustained:
- Puncture wounds
- Avulsion injuries
- Facial injuries
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of function of a hand or foot
- Broken bones and other crushing injuries
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Infection, which can result in amputations
- Sepsis and internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
Young children and the elderly tend to sustain the most severe dog bite injuries. Regardless of the circumstances, our lawyers in Minneapolis will work tirelessly to recover the fair financial compensation you deserve.
Am I Required To Prove Negligence to Establish Liability if I Was Bitten by a Dog in Minnesota?
When someone is injured in a car accident or slip and fall accident, they typically must prove that they were injured because of someone else’s negligence to recover damages. Dog bite claims are handled differently.
Minnesota follows a strict liability dog bite law. Dog owners are liable for all injuries caused by their dog, even if they took reasonable steps to keep the animal under control.
To recover damages for dog bite injuries, you must prove:
- You were on public property or lawfully on private property (even if you were on the dog owner’s property)
- You were acting peacefully
- You did not provoke the dog
- You were injured due to a dog bite or dog attack
You will not have to prove that the dog’s owner knew of the dog’s vicious tendencies to recover damages. Similarly, it’s not necessary to prove that the dog had bitten someone else in the past because Minnesota does not have a “one bite law.”
Does the Dog Owner Have Defenses to the Strict Liability Law?
Dog owners have several available defenses to the strict liability law.
Common defenses in dog bite cases commonly include:
- You provoked the dog to bite
- You were trespassing at the time of the animal attack
- The statute of limitations in your case has passed
In these cases, the strict liability law will not apply. However, you may still have legal options. You may be entitled to recover damages if you can prove that the dog bit you because the dog’s owner was negligent.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Filing a Dog Bite Injury Lawsuit in Minnesota?
Within Minnesota law, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases establishes the deadline for filing a lawsuit. Many factors can influence the amount of time you’ll have to file a lawsuit for your case, and you’ll lose your right to compensation if you’re too late.
In order to protect your legal rights, we recommend contacting our Minneapolis personal injury lawyers for help determining the statute of limitations that applies to your circumstances.
Contact a Minneapolis Dog Bite Attorney for a Free Consultation
A dog bite can be extremely traumatizing. If you or a loved one were bitten, don’t hesitate to reach out to Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys for legal advice today. An experienced Minneapolis dog bite lawyer can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve.
Our personal injury law firm in Minneapolis, MN, also provides:
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- Car Accident Lawyer in Minneapolis, MN
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- Child Injury Lawyer in Minneapolis, MN
- Construction Accident Attorney in Minneapolis, MN
- Electrocution Injury Lawyer, Minneapolis, MN
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Visit Our Law Office In Minneapolis, MN
Hall Law Personal Injury Attorneys – Minneapolis
825 Nicollet Mall, Suite 615
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: (800) 292-1979
Hours: Mon – Fri 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
