With the number of dog owners in the Buffalo area, dog bites are not that uncommon. If you are bitten by a dog and injured, there are a number of steps you should consider taking.
First of all, take care of yourself. You should seek immediate attention for your injuries, especially if they are serious. If you know the dog owner or can locate him or her, you should try to find out if the dog has had its rabies shot. Once you have taken care of your injuries, there are several actions you can take to help protect yourself if you need to bring a personal injury claim as a result of being bitten.
First, you should report the incident to the local police department so that a report can be prepared documenting it. If possible, obtain the name and address of the dog owner. If the owner is willing to share any information with you regarding his or her homeowner or renter insurance, you should obtain that also. Such insurance may provide coverage for your injuries.
If anyone saw the incident, you also should try to identify them and obtain their addresses of phone numbers. If these people are familiar with the dog, you should ask if the dog has previously exhibited behavior such as biting, growling or barking at people, or even jumping up on them. If you need to sue, this information could help establish that the dog was known to have dangerous propensities before it bit you.
Finally, if you are contacted by the dog owner’s insurance company, you should avoid signing any releases or statements regarding the incident. Doing so may limit your legal options in the future.
If you are bitten by a dog and have any legal questions, please feel free to call my office at 716-542-5444 regarding the incident.
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