Severely Injured by a Dog Bite? Contact a Dog Bite Lawyer

1. Identify, and if possible, isolate the dog/animal. If the animal has ID tags, record the information on the tags.
2. Get the name and contact information for the animal's owner, and any witnesses.
3. Note the location and time where the attack occurred.
4. Try to determine if the animal has been vaccinated against rabies and other diseases in order to evaluate your risks. Obtain proof of vaccination.
5. Evaluate and clean the wound.
6. Go to the emergency room or urgent care and seek immediate medical treatment if necessary.
7. Call Animal Control and the police (911) in the city where the event occurred to make a report.
8. Photograph all injuries (in the various stages of healing), torn or bloody clothing, or other possible evidence. Do not discard any evidence.
9. Do not sign anything, offer any apologies, or provide information to insurance companies, adjusters, witnesses, or the animal's owner until you have talked to a personal injury dog bite lawyer.

The short answer is that there is rarely money available right away to cover your expenses. Sometimes there is a medical payment provision available to provide some coverage of expenses upfront through the animal owner's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy.

To obtain full compensation, a claim needs to be filed with the animal owner's homeowner's insurance policy or renter's insurance policy as soon as possible. These claims can take months, sometimes even years, to fully resolve. It is important that the extent of your injuries and any long-term scarring is realized in order to ensure that you get fully compensated for your injuries. Therefore, you will likely need to use your own health insurance coverage to treat your injuries upfront.

Because dogs and other animals are considered to be people's property, you will turn to the animal owner for compensation. You may be able to bring either or both of the following types of claims for compensation:

STRICT LIABILITY CLAIM: Under Minn. Stat. § 347.22, dog owners are liable for the injuries caused by their dog. This is a strict liability statute, which means that the dog owner is always liable unless the victim provoked the dog or the victim was somewhere they should not lawfully be - like private property.

NEGLIGENCE CLAIM: You can also file a negligence claim against the owner of a dog or animal. An owner that fails to exercise reasonable care while controlling their animal can be deemed negligent and liable for the injuries the animal causes. In some cases, punitive damages are also available.

If you are successful, the animal's owner (or their homeowner's or rental insurance), should provide payment to you for your damages.

If the attack occurred while you were walking your own dog, and your pet was severely or critically injured, you may be able to obtain compensation. The animal is your property, and therefore, you could seek compensation through the other owner's homeowner or rental insurance through a property damage claim.