Even dog lovers can find themselves at the wrong end of a dog bite. In some situations, it can lead to going to the emergency room to treat a serious injury. You do not have to pay for the medical bills out of your own pocket since you do have a right to go after the dog's owner in order to pay for them. Here is what you need to know about a dog bite-related personal injury case.

Gather Evidence

The best thing you can do is gather as much evidence as possible to build a strong case. The first thing to do is find out who owns the dog, the dog's name, and their contact info if possible. You should then document the injury in as much detail as possible. Take pictures of the bite right after it happens, and start a journal with the amount of pain you are experiencing. Have a doctor inspect the bite for an official diagnosis as well, which will help prove when the injury occurred. You can hand this information over to your personal injury lawyer when you are ready to start your case.

Know Liability Laws

The amount of responsibility that the owner of the dog has will vary based on what state the injury occurred in. A few states have one bite rules, which provide protection to owners with dogs who have never shown aggressive behavior in the past. If the animal has never bitten anybody, chances are that there may not be anything you can do to receive compensation.

If the state you are in does have liability laws, then the dog won't get away with showing aggressive behavior that resulted in biting you. You'll also have an easier time winning your case and having the owner pay for the damages that their dog caused.

The best defense that the owner of the dog will have is to demonstrate that you provoked their dog into attacking you. If the owner can show that their dog was only demonstrating behavior that was caused by yourself, then you may not receive any compensation for your injury.

Hire A Lawyer

Dog bites are quite serious, with them sometimes requiring stitches to help the area heal. If you find yourself in a situation where you're bitten by another owner's dog, now that you can seek compensation for the damage. Reach out to a local lawyer that specializes in personal injury cases, since they can walk you through the process of what to do.

For more information, contact a business such as Hodge Law Firm.