A dog bite or attack can be highly upsetting and result in severe physical and mental trauma. And as such, it is crucial for anyone injured by a dog to seek medical and legal help, despite what other parties might tell you. They may not have your best interests at heart.
This can be particularly true when people make the following four statements.
“It doesn’t look that bad.”
Dog bites can cause permanent, life-changing injuries. They can result in infections, disfiguring scars and emotional distress that never goes away. As such, if a dog bites or attacks you and you are hurt, you should talk to a doctor rather than believe the opinion of someone without medical experience.
“We don’t need to report this.”
A person who advises victims not to report a dog bite is not just doing a disservice to the current victim; he or she is also putting potential future victims in danger. Under Pennsylvania laws, dogs that attack someone without provocation must be registered as a dangerous dog. Dangerous dogs are subject to additional requirements, such as confinement, to prevent the dog from attacking someone else. Therefore, reporting a dog bite incident is crucial to everyone’s safety.
“I’m the dog’s owner, but I’m not responsible.”
A dog owner, if found liable for harboring a dangerous dog, could ultimately be responsible for paying the medical costs stemming from a dog bite or attack.
“You provoked my dog.”
Some dog owners will try to blame the victims, accusing them of provoking the dog. However, provocation can be far more complicated than people think. For instance, a victim may have simply been walking toward a dog when it attacked, but the owner could argue that he or she charged the animal in a threatening manner. Considering how vital the presence or absence of provocation is, in these cases, victims should not trust the opinion of the owner.
Most people are not sure what to do after a dog attack, and they may be inclined to believe these kinds of statements. However, doing so can result in considerable losses. As such, victims can call the attorneys at The Quinn Law Firm at 814-806-2518 for a free initial consultation to better understand their legal options.