Dog owners in Georgia can be held financially liable for injuries caused by their dogs. If you were bitten by someone else’s dog in Americus, GA, our team at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm can help. Call (706) 940-4030 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Americus dog bite lawyer who can help you fight to recover compensation for your losses.
Contact our Americus personal injury attorney to learn how we can assist you in obtaining the compensation you deserve.
Why Hire the Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm to Handle a Dog Bite Injury Claim in Americus?
Dog bite injuries are often painful and expensive to treat in Americus, Georgia. Many victims don’t even know where to start when it comes time to seek compensation. Where do you find evidence to prove your case? What if the dog’s owner claims you provoked the attack? How much money do you really deserve?
Even if the dog’s owner seems willing to take responsibility, the same won’t be true of their insurance company. An experienced Americus personal injury lawyer at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm can help.
Our founding attorney has over 26 years of experience handling personal injury cases. Our team has already recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
For our efforts, our founding attorney has been recognized with:
- A perfect-10 Avvo rating
- A “Top Attorney” listing
- The National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 100” honors
Attempting to go it alone can mean walking away with less than you are entitled to. Instead, call an Americus personal injury attorney who can help you maximize your financial award.
How Much Is My Americus Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?
The value of your dog bite injury case will depend on various considerations, including:
- The type of injuries you suffered, and their severity
- Your current healthcare expenses
- Expected future medical expenses
- Whether you will suffer any long-term impairment or disfigurement
- How the trauma of the animal attack affected your well-being and mental health
- The extent of your physical pain
- Your lost income during recovery
- Any long-term impacts on your earning capacity
- Available insurance coverage
- Whether you’re being blamed for the incident
Every case is different. All victims are unique. For example, if an older person or a child were attacked by a dog, they may suffer more severe injuries. Further, no two victims recover in the same way. Consulting an experienced attorney is the best way to determine the value of your case.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Injury Victims in Americus?
Personal injury victims in Georgia can seek compensation for their financial costs (economic damages) and more personal losses (non-economic damages).
Economic damages awards cover things like:
- Past and future medical expenses, including ER visits, follow-up care, surgeries, medications, etc.
- Lost wages
- Rehabilitation
- Lost future earning capacity
- Mental health counseling
- Property damage
- Travel expenses
Many dog bite victims suffer extensive trauma and are forced to endure extreme pain. These losses are included in your non-economic damages award.
Examples include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- PTSD
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Shame and embarrassment
- Diminished quality of life
Our attorney can help you identify and calculate the value of the full range of damages you’ve suffered.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer to Handle a Dog Bite Claim in Georgia
You can hire the team at Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm without paying a cent upfront. Instead, you’ll sign a contingency fee agreement. Under a contingency fee arrangement, your attorneys’ fees are deducted from your settlement or verdict.
The bottom line is that you’ll never be responsible for attorneys’ fees unless your attorney recovers compensation in your case.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite in Georgia?
It is possible because the state of Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence law. You can typically recover partial compensation if your share of fault does not reach 50%, and your damages will likely be reduced to account for your share of the blame.
Provocation is an extremely common defense in dog bite injury cases. The owner will likely try to claim that their dog only bit you because you did something to provoke them. In fact, the provocation defense is built into Georgia’s strict liability dog bite law.
If provocation is a legitimate issue, you’ll likely need evidence to prove the dog’s owner was also negligent. We highly recommend hiring an experienced lawyer if you’re being blamed for an injury.
Common Dog Bite Injuries in Americus, Georgia
At Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm, we’re ready to fight for compensation to cover all of your injuries, including:
- Severe lacerations and torn skin
- Eye and facial injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Broken hips
- Knee, shoulder, and joint injuries
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Infections, which can lead to shock, sepsis, and even amputations
- Vision loss
- Catastrophic injuries
Dog bite injuries can have lasting emotional consequences. Your settlement or verdict should account for all the damage the dog has caused. Our attorney will evaluate your case and ensure the other side offers fair compensation.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim After a Dog Bite in Georgia?
Under Georgia personal injury laws, most injury victims have two years to initiate legal action. If you fail to file a lawsuit within two years of the date you were bitten, you will likely lose your right to compensation.
What Are the Laws Governing Dog Bite Injury Cases in Georgia?
Dog bite injury cases are governed by a unique set of laws.
In Georgia, a dog’s owner can be liable if their dog injures another person, if the victim can prove:
- The dog was somehow dangerous or vicious.
- The owner was careless in their management of the dog, so the dog was “at large.”
- You did not provoke the dog into attacking you.
How do you prove the dog was dangerous or vicious? You don’t have to prove that the dog had bitten or attacked someone else in the past. There is no “one bite rule” in Georgia. Proving that a danger existed can be as simple as showing that the dog was required by law to be at heel or on a leash, and was not.
What if the Dog Had Bitten Someone in the Past?
Dogs can be classified as “dangerous” or “potentially dangerous” if they have injured someone in the past.
If the dog has already been classified as dangerous, the owner is presumed to know that the dog is dangerous. They’re held to strict standards when it comes to keeping others safe. Dangerous dog owners in Sumter County are required by law to keep their dogs on leashes while off the owner’s property.
The owner must also:
- Register the dog with the county
- Post signs warning others of the dangerous dog
- Keep the dog properly secured
- Purchase additional insurance to cover injury claims
Establishing liability for dog bite injuries can be a challenging process. With an experienced Americus dog bite lawyer by your side, you’re much more likely to walk away with a fair deal.
If you were bitten or attacked by a dog, count on our lawyer to fight for every dollar you deserve. Call us today to learn more about your legal rights and options.
Can Someone Other Than the Dog’s Owner Be Liable for Dog Bite Injuries in Georgia?
Possibly, if you were bitten while visiting a business establishment. Business owners in Georgia have certain obligations. That includes an obligation to keep their premises reasonably safe, including from dangerous dogs.
For example, you could have a valid premises liability claim if you were bitten while visiting a:
- Hotel
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Grocery store
- Shopping center
- Entertainment venue
These and other property owners may be financially accountable if they allowed dogs onto the property and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent injuries.
Contact Our Americus Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you were bitten by someone else’s dog, an experienced Americus dog bite lawyer can help. Call Mark Casto Personal Injury Law Firm today to learn more about your legal right to seek compensation.
