Were you recently bit by a dog and suffered a serious injury? If so, you likely have questions about it that can potentially affect your compensation.

Were You Seriously Injured? 

The first thing you need to ask yourself is if you were seriously injured. The purpose of a dog bite injury lawsuit is to compensate you for a physical injury that cost you money in terms of medical bills. If you were simply nipped by a dog or had scratches that did not require you to go to the doctor, then you do not have an injury that is serious enough to justify a dog bite lawsuit. 

Do You Know Who The Dog's Owner Is?

If you were bitten by a stray dog, there may not be much you can do about the situation. You need to know who the owner of the dog is since they are the ones that you would be suing for your injuries. If you cannot find any identifying information about the dog, you may be out of luck. If the dog was a stray dog, look for lost and found signs that could potentially notify you of who the owner is. If you identify the dog that caused the injuries after they've been found, you then have someone you can go after for damages. 

Was The Dog Antagonized Or Threatened?

Be aware that the act of a dog biting you may not be all you need for a dog bite injury lawsuit. If you did anything to antagonize the dog and cause them to bite you, then you will be out of luck in terms of receiving compensation. If you abused a dog that ends up biting you back in retaliation, that action is out of the owner's control and they would not be held responsible for their dog's actions. 

Were You Trespassing?

If you were invited onto someone's private property and you were bitten by their dog, then you would have a viable case on your hands since you were a welcomed guest. However, the situation can be different if you were trespassing on someone's property at the time. If the owner had their dog contained in their backyard, and you entered their yard illegally when you were bitten, the owner may not be at fault. Some things may be taken into consideration, such as if there were warning signs about the dog, but illegally entering someone's property may clear the owner of liability. 

For more information, reach out to a personal injury lawyer near you.

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