After being unexpectedly bitten by a dog, you may incur lacerations that lead to scarring, infection, and disfigurement. This is not to mention eye injuries, bone fractures, nerve damage, and even rabies. Your medical bills may become astronomical as a result. You should not be left responsible for footing the bill, especially if this accident was due to no fault of your own and the dog that bit you is not your own. Well, read on to discover how dog bite victims can obtain financial compensation and how a seasoned Toronto dog bite lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you retrieve what is rightfully yours.
As a dog bite victim, can I obtain financial compensation?
After being made a dog bite victim, it is quite possible that the responsible dog owner’s insurance provider may grant you financial compensation. Specifically, their homeowners’ or renters’ insurance provider.
This is, of course, only if the dog owner has bought into this coverage type in the first place. And even if they do, this insurance provider type is notorious for minimizing or altogether rejecting these claims for financial compensation. If this has been your experience, you may feel inclined to pursue a dog bite injury claim.
What steps should I take to obtain compensation after my dog bite?
With pursuing a dog bite injury claim, there are certain steps you should take in the immediate moments following the incident. These actions should also be done for the sake of your safety and well-being. They read as follows:
- Call 911 and allow the responding emergency medical technicians to attend to you.
- Jot down the dog owner’s legal name, residential address, and other relevant information.
- Speak with any bystanders who witnessed your dog bite incident and jot down their contact information.
- Take photos and videos of your dog bite injury and any other relevant aspects of the scene where you received it.
- Routinely wash your dog bite injury and continually attend your medical appointments as recommended.
- Write down a detailed log of the date, time, and sequence of events leading up to your dog bite incident.
After the dust settles, you should report your dog bite incident to Toronto Public Health by calling 416-338-7600 and Toronto Animal Services by calling 311. This is so the city may issue an order against the responsible dog owner, such as an order to have their dog muzzled outside their premises; an order to post a warning sign on their premises; an order to obtain a dangerous dog tag; and more. This is all to, hopefully, prevent the dog in question from hurting any other innocent bystander again.
In conclusion, there is no need to second-guess your decision to retain the services of a competent Ontario personal injury lawyer. This is because we can guarantee that someone from Merricks Law Group, P.A. will have your back through every step.
