Having a dog bite someone can be terrifying for a dog owner, typically because this means that your dog is now at risk of being put down, you are possibly liable for medical bills, and you could be subjected to a lawsuit. However, hiring an attorney can make this situation a little bit less frightening for you. Listed below are two reasons to hire an attorney to defend you in a dog bite case.
The Attorney Can Take Steps To Save Your Dog's Life
The main reason that you will want to hire an attorney to defend you in a dog bite case is that they can take steps to save your dog's life. This is very important for any dog owner because in many areas having your dog bite an individual without provocation will lead to the dog being put down.
If your attorney can prove that your dog was provoked by being frightened or attacked, this can often be enough to have the case thrown out and your dog saved. Additionally, even if you cannot prove that your dog was provoked, an attorney can take steps to save your dog's life by negotiating with the judge to allow your dog to undergo training, especially if this was the first time that your dog has ever attacked anyone.
The Attorney Can Work To Prove That You And Your Dog Were Not At Fault
Additionally, you should hire an attorney to defend you in a dog bite case because the attorney can work to prove that you and your dog were not at fault. If you can prove that your dog was not at fault, there is a very good chance that the case can be thrown out and that you won't be held liable for any of the injuries sustained by the individual that was bitten. For example, if your dog was cornered and clearly showing signs of being frightened or angry because an individual was tormenting the dog or hurting the dog, that can easily be a type of provocation.
Another way that an attorney can help you with this is by proving that the individual took matters into their own hands and put themselves into a position where they were bitten despite being amply warned. An example of this would be an individual jumping onto your property and trespassing despite warning signs that there are dogs on the property and approaching your restrained dogs. Another example of this would be an individual ignoring all warnings from you to stay away from your dog while you were out walking your dog and getting bitten when they attempted to grab or pet the dog.
Speak with a personal injury attorney or law firm like Bellotti Law Group, P.C. today to discuss what you can do if your dog bites someone and to discuss how much they will charge for their services. You will want to hire an attorney to defend you in a dog bite case because the attorney can take steps to save your dog's life and can work to prove that you and your dog were not at fault.
