When dogs attack, they can cause serious, lasting injury. These injuries can have a significant economic, emotional and physical impact on your life. The St. Cloud dog bite attorneys at Hall Law P.A. can help you recover financially, physically and emotionally. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
Common Injuries Associated With Dog Bites
Serious dog bites are rarely minor injuries. A dog’s teeth can cause severe injuries to the skin and deeper tissues, including the muscles and tendons, in some cases. Some dogs do not let go when they bite, resulting in catastrophic and even fatal injuries. Our attorneys represent dog bite victims with many different types of injuries.
- Lacerations
- Puncture wounds
- Infections or diseases
- Degloving
- Permanent scarring
- Disfigurement
- Facial injuries
- Hand and finger injuries
- Head and scalp injuries
- Nerve damage
- Emotional injuries and psychological trauma
- Wrongful death
The economic costs of a dog bite injury can be high. The most severe cases require surgeries, such as skin grafts and reconstructive surgeries.Vicimts may also have to deal with physical therapy, rehabilitation, prescriptions, ongoing care and follow-up appointments. In the meantime, the victim may be unable to return to work, adding lost wages to the damages suffered. While nothing can take back a bad dog attack, a successful injury claim could make a victim financially whole again.
Minnesota’s Dog Bite Laws: The Basics
The losses connected to a dog bite injury may total into the thousands of dollars for a victim. In certain circumstances, the owner of a dog that bites someone will be financially responsible for these losses. According to Minnesota Statutes Section 347.22, the owner of a dog that attacks or injures someone will be liable in damages to the victim for the full amount of the injury suffered, as long as three elements are more likely to be true than not true.
- The victim did not provoke the dog.
- The victim was acting peaceably at the time of the attack.
- The victim was not trespassing on private property.
Minnesota’s dog bite law is a strict liability statute, meaning the injured victim does not need to prove the dog owner’s fault to qualify for financial compensation. Whether or not the pet owner was careless or irresponsible will be irrelevant. The only burden of proof will be to show that the dog is responsible for the injuries in question and that the victim was acting peaceably in a place where he or she may lawfully be.
When to Call a Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
Recovering compensation for your dog bite injury may seem simple enough based on the terms of Minnesota’s dog bite law. Unfortunately, the reality is often not as straightforward. Pet owners often deny liability for dog bite injuries based on arguments such as pet provocation or the victim’s comparative negligence. A pet owner may also not have adequate insurance to pay for your full damages, leading to challenges recovering fair compensation.
You may need a dog bite injury lawyer in St. Cloud to represent you if you run into issues making the pet owner pay for your medical bills and other losses. A lawyer can help you negotiate with a homeowners insurance company for just financial compensation. It is especially important to hire a lawyer for a case involving severe dog bite injuries or wrongful death. Otherwise, you may accept less than your injuries or losses require from an insurance company.
Contact Our St. Cloud Dog Bite Attorneys Today
If you or a loved one was injured in a dog attack, the Minnesota dog bite attorneys at Hall Law P.A. can help you recover. We provide compassionate legal representation and tailored strategies to achieve maximum results. Our attorneys can help you understand your rights and fight for compensation from a pet owner in Minnesota, starting with a free case evaluation. Call (800) 292-1979 or contact us online today for more information.