What Type of Lawyer Handles Dog Bite Cases?
Statistics say that two-thirds of households in the United States own pets and over 65 million households own dogs.
Unfortunately, many of those owners do not keep their pets responsibly and, as a result, thousands of people are bitten by dogs each year. These include delivery workers, utility workers, and guests.
Dog bites can be severe and can lead to serious injuries, impairment, and medical bills. If you have been bitten by a dog and seriously injured, it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer to understand your options. In many cases, insurance will be available to compensate you and pay your medical bills. But how do you know what type of lawyer to call?
In general, dog bite cases are handled by personal injury lawyers. However, a Google search for “personal injury lawyer” will not be very helpful for a few reasons. First, you will be confronted with hundreds of results. Second, most all of the results you see will be higher in the search results not because of the quality of the lawyer but because of how much those lawyers spend on advertising. Third, many personal injury lawyers specialize in car accident cases. You’ll want someone who has handled dog bite cases before.
Above all else – do not call the TV lawyer. As I’ve explained in other posts, these lawyers practice in volume and clients may find they speak only with paralegals or that they are encouraged to quickly settle a case for a lower amount of money (“We get you your money faster” can mean “We get you less money, but really quickly”). I go into more detail on my thoughts on TV lawyers here:
Should I hire the TV Lawyer? – Anthony Law (anthonylawsc.com)
To get a quality lawyer, search for personal injury lawyers who are highly-rated by legitimate lawyer ratings groups. There are many ratings groups that allow lawyers to “buy” a rating. Steer away from those and instead towards ratings groups with solid reputations with selections based primarily on votes from other lawyers. Two of the best are Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers.
Finally, set up a time to talk with the lawyer. If you are denied a conversation with the lawyer and are instead steered to a paralegal, strike that lawyer off the list. If the lawyer won’t talk with you now, you’re not going to get personal attention once you’ve signed up. If you do talk to the lawyer, ask if that lawyer has handled dog bite cases and ask for examples.
Your choice of lawyer is a big decision. You need to engage a lawyer who is experienced, will personally work on your case, and who the insurance companies will take seriously.