Massachusetts Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation Law Blog
Everyone loves a good furry friend, especially in Boston. However, that furry friend can sometimes end up causing a dog bite, leading to serious injury. If you’ve experienced a dog bite injury, avoid the three most common mistakes that follow after:
- Not reporting the dog bite
- Not seeking medical attention
- Not hiring an attorney, and trying to deal with the insurance company alone.
Due to how serious Massachusetts dog bite laws are, the owner may try to convince you not to report the injury by offering to pay medical bills and damages themself, however, they can quickly change their mind when they realize how expensive the bills can be. Reporting the dog bite is essentially the first step in filing a claim.
Additionally, you may decide you don’t need to seek medical attention. A dog bite can have serious consequences. Even though the bite might not be deep, a dog bite can result in one or more infections that can create life-threatening conditions. Common infections related to dog bites include staph infections, rabies, tetanus, etc. Besides infections, dog bite injuries can cause soft-tissue damage, deep wounds, scarring, and nerve damage. By seeking medical attention, not only are you ensuring your injury will be correctly medicated, it also provides documentation needed to get the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Finally, Insurance companies treat all personal injury claims the same, regardless of the manner of the injury. The company seeks to lower its liability for the claim as much as possible.
Therefore, an insurance adjuster might pressure you to make a statement or sign a release that is not in your best interest. The company may try to blame you for the dog bite or say that you are partially to blame, which lowers the value of your personal injury claim.
Before you speak with an insurance representative or discuss the incident with the dog’s owner (other than reporting the incident occurred), it is best to consult a Boston dog injury lawyer.
If you or someone you know experienced a dog bite injury, call our office today for access to free resources that will allow you to make the best decision.