Kentucky Dog Bite Attorney

It’s no secret that a dog is a man’s best friend; nowadays, most people own dogs. For the most part, those that have dogs as pets have raised them in a great and loving environment. This means that these dogs would be very rare to act out of character.

However, what happens if this isn’t the case? What happens if you run into someone else’s dog, and it’s vicious and attacks you, causing you injuries and personal damage? Unfortunately, this can happen and occur, and when it does, it’s important to know what to do.

Injuries from dog bites can cause physical and mental damage. And we are not surprised at the types of cases we receive. Hiring a Kentucky personal injury lawyer from McCoy & Hiestand will be your best move. Read more about cases like yours and what we can do for you.

What Dog Bite Injuries Can You Make a Claim for?

Around 38% of homes contain dogs. There are 90 million household dogs in the United States. These numbers are staggering. However, they keep growing. One out of five people will get bitten by aggressive dogs, requiring medical attention.

If this happens, you need to know if your injuries are enough to file a claim and recover compensation for the losses endured. These injuries include:

• Serious puncture wounds
• Facial injuries
• Severe infection
• Broken bones
• Head injuries
• Disfigurement
• Amputation
• Permanent scarring

You may be entitled to claim compensation for your losses if you have been involved in a dog attack and sustained any of the above injuries. The section below explains why hiring a skilled dog bite attorney in Kentucky to fight for you, and your injury claim is highly beneficial.

How Can Our Lawyers Help You and Your Claim?

Kentucky has strict laws that work in your favor regarding dog bites. The second you get injured by someone’s dog, that owner is automatically held liable. However, with the law being so straightforward in cases like yours, what is the point of bringing in experienced legal help?

In cases like this, seeking the assistance of McCoy & Hiestand can inform you of all your legal rights and ensure that you are getting the highest compensation possible. Typically, insurance companies will reach out to the victim. However, they are always acting in the liable parties’ best interest.

Allow us to be the Kentucky dog bite lawyers on your side and ensure that you are also being looked after. We understand that trauma and suffering may make you believe that there is no end in sight to cases like this. But we are here to tell you that you can come out of this successfully and continue moving forward.

Who Is Liable in Dog Bite Cases?

As we previously stated, Kentucky ensures that the aggressive dog that caused the injuries will be deemed liable under its owner. So, in turn, the owner is the one held liable for injuries. It’s important to note that there are a few instances where the dog’s owner is not held liable.

For example, if the aggressive dog was protecting private property or you have trespassed and gotten attacked, the owner is not liable. Additionally, the owner may not be held liable if the dog is provoked and attacks you. Other than these instances, the owner will likely be held responsible for your losses.

What Damages Can Be Calculated?

If you have found that your dog bite injuries fall into the correct category that allows you to file a claim, you then need to calculate your damages. Upon determining fault for these injuries, looking over your losses will be the next step in your case.

Some of the damages you can calculate in dog bite cases include those in the economic loss category and the non-economic loss category. Economic losses, or compensatory damages, are those that have a monetary value associated with them. Whereas non-economic losses are all losses that have no monetary value associated with them.

Here are the following losses that are considered economic losses:

• Medical bills: Whatever you have paid in hospital visits, surgeries, and treatment related to the injury, you can claim back in a case.
• Lost income: When you have serious injuries from dog bites, it may be impossible for you to work, enabling a loss of income. You can claim lost income when calculating your losses if this is the case.
• Property damage: If applicable, you can claim compensation for any property that could have been damaged during the dog attack. For instance, if you had glasses or shoes that were destroyed due to an aggressive dog, you will be able to recover these losses.

Following economic losses, non-economic losses can be claimed. These losses include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and any other losses you have sustained that have no connection to money value.

Additionally, in some cases, you may be able to claim punitive damages. These damages are only awarded in cases where the person held liable was extremely negligent. Punitive damages will be awarded to you in this case, only to ensure that this type of negligence is never seen again by the responsible party.

Reach Out to a Kentucky Dog Bite Attorney Today

If you have suffered any injury associated with aggressive dogs, you should begin your claim as soon as possible. And while doing so, seeking our help at McCoy & Heistand will be beneficial in more ways than one. We will stand by your side in any case thrown our way.

For additional information about cases like these, or if you are ready to begin your case, contact us today. We are Chad and Sheila, and we will always fight for you.