Bit By Someone's Dog? Here's What To Do

Dog bite injuries are serious—some can even be fatal—so it's important that you seek help if you were bit by a neighbor's dog or even a dog that you think is a stray. What you do after the bite will determine the next few months of your life, so knowing how to handle an injury is important.

After a bite, you need to protect yourself and your rights to the best of your ability. Here's what you should do if your injuries allow you:

1. Get information from the dog's owner when possible.

If you know the dog has an owner, you need to speak with them. You should get their name, address, and telephone number. Don't make this a serious discussion about why the dog wasn't on a leash or in a fence. Don't make accusations or otherwise cause a confrontation. Just get the information you need and leave it at that.

If you were bit by a stray, see if there is anyone around that recognizes the dog.

2. Get information from the scene of the accident.

This is an important step and often overlooked. You need to write down everything you can about what happened. Take notes about the size of the dog, the color, the breed, and even the name if you know it. If you have a cell phone, snap a picture.

Note the day and time of the attack as well as the location and the moments leading up to the attack. You want to write all of this down while it's still fresh in your mind so you don't have trouble remembering later.

3. Call 911.

Call 911 so they can dispatch help. The police may come out to investigate the situation, and if you need medical care but can't make it to the hospital, you will be able to get in an ambulance.

4. Call Animal Control.

Even if the dog has an owner, you need to report the incident to animal control. You don't want to be too elaborate before you are able to speak to your attorney. Just say that the dog bit you and give the address and identification of the dog and leave it at that.

5. Seek medical care.

Even if you didn't need to use the ambulance to get to the hospital for medical care, you should still be checked out by a doctor. If the injuries are minor, you can probably wait until the next business day and make an appointment. If you have more serious injuries, you should head over to the emergency room and get help.

6. Seek legal advice.

Call an experienced personal injury attorney that deals with dog bite cases and find out what your rights are moving forward. You may have a personal injury claim against the owner of the dog.

Dog bites are serious, and when you know what to do, you will be prepared should you find yourself on the other end of a dog's mouth. Contact a firm like Hardee and Hardee LLP for more information.

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