Representation for Dog Bite Injuries

Get the Legal Assistance You Need in Dog Related Incidents

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4.7 million U.S. citizens are bitten or attacked by dogs each year. Around 800,000 of these attacks cause serious injuries that require medical care. 

Injuries inflicted by dogs can cause serious medical, emotional, and psychological damage. How are you to know the full justifiable monetary value of those scars in your life? It is important to learn about your legal rights in these difficult times. 

Trust the legal expert at Sam J. Fogerty Attorney at Law to provide you with all the legal assistance you need. Call Sam J. Fogerty Attorney at Law, PS., for a FREE case review. We offer on-site parking.

Essential Steps to Take in Dog Bite Cases 

In dog bite cases, the steps are including but are not limited to the ones mentioned below: 

• Write down the name and address of the dog’s owner. If the owner is not present, write down a clear description of the dog and details of the bite. You may be able to find owner and dog information from the dog’s tags. However, this may be inadvisable if the dog is aggressive. 
• Sometimes, the bite may have happened away from any residence, and the owner may be hard to determine. In that case, contact 911 or animal control services so that you have a way of getting the identification of the dog. The phone number of the Tacoma Animal Control unit is (253)627-PETS (7387).
• Always seek medical attention and have the injury evaluated by a professional. Even if the injury does not seem major, many times, infection or disease can take a while to show up. By providing medical attention, you can also get a medical record of the injury for legal and insurance records.
• Take photos of the dog and your injuries. Use your cell phone camera if need be, or even better: a camera with flash to get more details in optimal lighting.
• Do not make a private settlement with the dog owner or discuss financial damages. 
• If a dog leaves the confines of its owner’s property and bites someone, the owner may be liable for all damages caused 
• If a dog is not on a leash in an area in which it is required, and the dog injures someone, then it is the dog owner’s legal responsibility.
• The owner of any dog that bites a person while in a public or private place shall be liable for such damages.
• On an important note, landlords are protected from dog bite liability and cannot be held responsible for their tenants' dangerous animals.

Rest assured, Attorney Sam J. Fogerty has extensive experience as a dog bite attorney and will give your case the respect and attention it deserves.