Know What To Do After A Dog Or Another Type Of Animal Bite
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
Dog bites are typically the most common type of animal bite that individuals receive, but other animals can bite and cause personal injuries as well. A pet snake, for instance, can draw blood, and inject venom into its victim. Cats can scratch and bite as well, so it is important to know what steps to take after becoming bitten. This information is intended to help any individual that may become bitten or those that have already experienced this nasty occurrence.Animal bites are painful, so avoiding them is ideal but not always achievable. If an animal is showing aggressive tendencies, avoid them, or if you are at a friend’s house, ask them to put their pet away. Of course, not all animals show aggression before biting, so not all bites are avoidable. Remain aware of your surroundings and give these animals the respect that they deserve to help you remain bite-free.
First Things First
Always make sure that you are safe, and have not sustained a life-threatening injury, before doing anything else. You should be at a safe distance from the animal, to ensure that it does not attack again. If you are bleeding profusely, call 911, or ask a bystander to do it for you. Your safety, health, and well-being should always be your top priorities.
Once all proper safety measures have been taken, attempt to obtain names, addresses, and contact methods of anyone that witnessed the event. These witnesses can often be the difference makers in proving fault in cases like these. Also, if the police are not contacted while you are on the scene, it ensures that they will have a way to contact the witnesses when you do contact them.
Use the smartphone, that is attached to your hip, to take pictures of the bite marks, the animal involved if possible, and any other items that can be related to your injury. For instance, if the animal put its head through a broken fence, snap a quick pic of the hole for future reference. These photos can prove useful during any legal proceedings that may take place.
Go To The Doctor
If you did not need to seek medical assistance immediately, it is still important to go to the doctor soon after the bite occurs. This gives you well-documented proof of the occurrence taking place. Keeping all of your receipts for medications, office visits, and other health-related items from the injury can also prove to be beneficial. Having a paper trail to substantiate your claim is looked upon favorably by judges and juries alike.
While you are out and about, take a trip to the animal control unit in your jurisdiction. File a report with them about the incident. You should never rely on your doctor, or an emergency room attendant, to file this for you. People are only human, and they forget things from time to time. This is another aspect of the paper trail that needs to remain intact.
Contact The St. Pete Lawyer
Being a statutory strict liability state, Florida holds pet owners liable for their pets. This means that you may be entitled to just compensation if you are bitten. Even if the bite did not happen from a negligent act, you should not have to pay these expensive medical bills, and other expenses. When someone takes a pet in as their own, they take on certain responsibilities. Contact our office to find the appropriate courses of action to take and for the compensation that you so rightfully deserve.