A dog bite injury may prevent you from working and enjoying your daily activities. It can also cost you thousands of dollars in medical costs as you complete your recovery.
Before moving forward with a dog bite claim, learn more about the evidence that could prove invaluable for your dog bite injury lawyer during settlement negotiations and any following trial.
To help you get a fair settlement and win your case, let’s explore how to substantiate your dog bite injury claim.
Witness Testimony
Evidence of your actions during your dog bite incident will be crucial in proving your case. Eyewitnesses are instrumental as they can help prove you were not provoking the animal and had been actively avoiding the attack. Your dog bite injury lawyer will help you evaluate eyewitnesses to the dog bite and will collect witness statements.
Witness statements will document the following:
- Your actions as the victim of the dog bite
- The animal’s behavior towards you
- The scene of the incident
- The actions of the animal’s owner
Medical Documentation
Medical reports are an essential piece of the puzzle for insurance companies and your injury lawyer negotiating your dog bite settlement claim. Providing clear medical documentation can help show the impact of the bite on you and the extent to which the injury may have prevented you from taking on everyday activities.
The medical evidence of a dog bite injury may include:
- X-rays of broken bones or embedded teeth from the attack
- Written statements from your doctor explaining your injuries
- Written evaluations from psychologists explaining the traumatic impact of the attack
- Photographs showing infected bites and bite wounds, alongside details from medical professionals explaining the injury
Photo Evidence
After undergoing medical treatment for your bite injuries, ensure you take a photo of the bite area and of any additional bite injuries you sustained in the attack.
These photos will help your dog bite injury lawyer prove your claim and can prove invaluable during settlements and in any following court case. For example, read this excellent post from Temple University about the value photo evidence can provide in injury cases.
When taking photos of your dog bite injuries, make sure you:
- Take photos from several angles and in different lighting
- Take a series of photos over your recovery period to show the progression of your injury
- Catalogue the photographs you take carefully with assistance from your dog bite injury lawyer
Preserve Your Clothing
In some dog bite injury cases, the clothing worn by the victim has proven vital in negotiating the settlements with the insurance company.
If your clothing was torn or bloodied during the attack, preserve the clothes in this condition. Ask your dog bite injury lawyer for guidance on evidence preservation and the potential value that clothing may provide in your case.
A Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Can Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve
Now that you know a little more about the evidence you’ll rely on to prove your claim, you can contact a dog bite injury lawyer to take the steps towards claiming a fair settlement.
Dog bite injury lawyer Jeffrey Penneys has over two decades of experience gathering crucial case evidence and proven dog bite cases in the Pennsylvania courts. He works with bite victims and their families to help them secure justice and build a foundation for the rest of their lives after an injury.
If you believe you have a dog bite injury case and want to know more about your legal options, call Jeffrey Penneys today for your free, no-obligation case review.