Proper training and care are essential when domesticating any animal. Unfortunately, many pet owners overlook crucial steps in training their dogs. If you were bitten, one of our dog bite lawyers in Las Vegas can review your case in a free consultation.
How Our Dog Bite Lawyers Can Help
At MGA Law, our dog bite lawyers in Las Vegas have decades of collective experience overseeing a wide range of personal injury cases. We can help guide you through this complex process, explain your role at every stage of proceedings, and litigate your case if necessary.
Below are a few more ways we can assist you with your personal injury claim:
- Gather Evidence: Building a strong claim requires a solid foundation. In the world of personal injury law, convincing evidence is the bedrock of a case that will go the distance. From surveillance camera footage to expert witness deposition to medical records, there are many types of evidence that could help you achieve a successful outcome. Once our legal team has reviewed your case, they will know which evidence needs to be collected to help prove liability, causation, and damages, and will take the necessary steps to obtain this information.
- Approximate a Fair Settlement: Not all losses are printed on receipts and invoices. Some, such as mental anguish, loss of consortium, and lost wages, can be more complex to prove. As you cannot trust the insurer to offer you a favorable settlement—they need to look after their bottom line—you will benefit from having an accurate idea of the potential recovery in your case. At MGA Law, our lawyers can help approximate a fair settlement for your losses. From consulting with expert witnesses to gathering the necessary evidence, we can help you make sure your claim accounts for all recoverable damages.
- Help You Avoid Mistakes: The moment you are injured, you need to be careful about what you say or do. The wrong actions could have a major impact on the outcome of your case, and there are many mistakes, oversights, and errors that could limit the potential recovery for your case. For instance, if you admitted to provoking the animal, you may open the door for opposing parties to dispute liability. Alternatively, if you posted about the dog bite on social media, there’s a high chance that the insurance company will use your comments out of context to challenge your case. Our personal injury attorneys can guide you through this difficult chapter, helping you avoid costly errors that could harm your claim. We can also handle all dialogue with the insurance company so that you don’t risk saying something that may sink your chances of a successful outcome.
Is It Safe to Use Social Media While My Animal Attack Claim Is Pending?
Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have become staples of our everyday lives. On these platforms we connect with friends, share life’s landmark moments, and vent our frustrations. After an animal attack that caused injury, it’s tempting to go online and post about your traumatic experience. While this may help you get the emotional support you need during this challenging chapter of your life, it could also lead to a world of trouble for you and your personal injury case.
You need to be aware that insurers can—and do—monitor claimants’ social media activity for any evidence that could be used to challenge their claims. Whether it’s an unrelated comment or a picture of you and your family, anything you publish in the wake of the accident could be used to dispute aspects of your case.
At MGA Law, we will likely advise you to disable your social media profiles for the duration of your case. However, if you’re not able to take this step, here are a few ways you can protect your claim next time you log on:
- Do Not Accept New Friend Requests: A new friend request represents a chance to connect and an opportunity to expand your social circle. However, while your Las Vegas dog bite claim is processing, accepting these invites could be a deathblow to your chances of achieving a favorable outcome in your case. That next connection request could be from someone at the insurance company or an opposing party. Once accepted, these individuals can dig through your posts to unearth evidence that could be used to challenge your case. Even if you’ve set your account to “private,” it may still be possible for opposing parties to gain access to your social media feeds by filing a discovery request during litigation proceedings.
- Do Not Post Images of Yourself: It may just be a harmless picture of you and your family at the park, but every pixel could be a problem for your case. In your mind, these snapshots may just be a few bright moments between the pain, stress, and exhaustion of recovery. But, to the insurer, they’re a chance to dispute the severity of your injuries and justify reducing your financial award. For instance, if you’re photographed engaging in physical activity, the insurer may assert that you ignored your doctor’s orders to rest. Not only should you not post pictures of yourself online, you should also ask friends and family to avoid tagging you in their own online snapshots.
- Do Not Discuss Your Case Online: Those in your circles may be peppering you with questions about the accident. Publishing a post about the traumatic event seems like a simple way to keep everyone in the loop and put an end to the barrage of enquiries. However, discussing any aspect of your case, whether it’s the nature of negotiations, your recovery, or the accident itself, could have a major impact on the potential recovery. For instance, if your post contradicts other evidence in your case or you say something that could be misrepresented as you admitting fault for causing the accident—even if you played no role—the insurer may use your posts to dispute liability.
Dog Bites Are More Common and Severe Than Many People Think
The most common human injury from an animal is a dog bite. Five million dog bites occur each year and about 20% become infected according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dog bites often cause permanent scarring and can leave the victim with severe trauma for the rest of their lives. Treatment and medical bills can add up quickly, which is why it is best to contact a dog bite lawyer right away.
Speak with a Dog Bite Lawyer in Las Vegas
Our dog bite lawyers can help you compile evidence and fight for the compensation you need to move won with life. Call us today at 702-629-7900 for a free consultation.
