A dog bite has the potential to leave the victim facing a number of medical bills, all depending of course on the extent of the injuries. Expenses can easily total thousands of dollars. This means the victim will have to pay a much higher than usual deductible and other out of pocket bills. It doesn’t always mean anything if the victim as quality insurance, sometimes it just doesn’t cover everything. Should you be the unfortunate soul who doesn’t have insurance, well, you will find yourself in a massive amount of debt.
This doesn’t seem fair at all. The attack wasn’t your fault, so why do you have to pay for all the medical attention? Thankfully, with the help of Philadelphia dog bite attorneys, victims receive the compensation they deserve. Injuries and medical expenses are typically all covered under this method of compensation.
Bills Stemming from a Dog Bite
It is important to know the types of bills you may be faced with paying before receiving any type of settlement. The following list details those expenses:
- Emergency room
- Urgent Care
- Primary care
- Specialist doctors’ visits
- Medication
- In-home care
- Medical supplies
- Surgeries
- Therapy for mental and emotional trauma
The size of the dog may not even matter, as even smaller dog attacks can cost up to hundreds of dollars in treatment and care. All methods of medical care are extremely expensive. In some circumstances, the victim may not even know the extent of bills and injuries until months after the attack. Pursuing legal action in this regard is exactly what you need to do. All responsible parties should be held accountable and pay for damages.
In certain settings, if a dog attack were to occur, in say a business or on a business’ property, then the victim has every right to go after the property or business owner’s policy. If the attack happened in a car or the dog jumped into a car, then a car insurance policy may cover the medical bills. Then, if the attack took place in a public setting, an attorney could seek compensation from the local governments’ insurance.
In the event the dog owner doesn’t have insurance, well then the claim just becomes a lot more difficult. This is the time for a Philadelphia dog bite lawyer to help with filing a lawsuit against the dog owner. The attorney will attempt to collect compensation on behalf of their client or victim. If the attorney is successful, the court will order the dog owner to pay for a specified amount of the victim’s bills. This isn’t exactly an ideal situation to be in, sometimes it might be the victim’s only option.
Now, let’s say an insurance company tried to call you and offer a settlement, you might be thinking, take the deal. You do not want to accept it. The offer is going to be much lower than what it is worth if an attorney were to represent you. You never want to tell the insurance company anything about the attack.
The best way to avoid any impediments is to just confirm that it happened and leave it at that. This will eliminate any recorded statements or other information you give them as being used against you. Whenever this happens, insurance companies try to offer a lower settlement. It is suggested to consult with a Philadelphia dog bite attorney as soon as possible.
The most basic way to try and get the highest settlement possible for medical bills is to collect evidence right after the attack. Take photos of the dog, the injuries, or the damages. A video of the attack is even better. Gather all witnesses and take their statements. Obtain the dog owner’s name and information before leaving the scene. Finally, call the Philadelphia Police Department to file a report.
Seek Legal Representation
If you were bitten by a dog in Philadelphia, a personal injury attorney will fight for your right to compensation. Call the office of Kwartler Manus at 267-457-5570 to schedule a consultation today.
