Atlanta Dog Bite Attorneys

Key Steps to Follow After a Dog Bite

If you have been the victim of a dog bite in Atlanta, it is important to understand and act on your legal rights. Our team can help you pursue a claim for damages due to harm caused by the dog. To ensure that your claim is successful, there are certain items that need to be provided. 

1. Establishing Liability & Ownership In order to establish liability in a dog bite case you must either prove that (1) the dog owner was in violation of a leash law ordinance at the time of the bite or (2) the dog had vicious propensities, the owner knew or should have known of those propensities, and that the injured person had no such knowledge. The first step in establishing liability is to obtain the animal control report. The report may have witnesses listed. If there are any witnesses listed, call and interview all of the witnesses and get their statement and contact information. Next, talk to neighbors and see if they have ever had problems or know of any prior aggressive incidents involving the same dog. Always go to the scene to photograph and document where the attack occurred and always photograph your client’s injuries.
2. Seek medical attention right away. Dog bites can result in serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. Document any physical damage for your dog bite attorneys in Atlanta if you decide to pursue legal action later on.
3. Contact an animal control department or police department to report the dog bite incident and obtain a copy of the dog bite incident report from them. This document will help your dog bite attorneys understand all aspects of the dog bite incident and assist them with building a strong case against the dog’s owner or handlers.
4. Take photographs of the dog bite injury and any other relevant evidence to your dog bite case, such as where the dog attack took place or images of the dog that caused the injury. Pictures speak a thousand words, and it is very important to document and take pictures of all visible injuries, including cuts, lacerations, swelling, bruising, bite marks, and scarring.