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One of the most traumatic incidents you can experience is being attacked by a dog. When this happens, you may be entitled to recover full compensation for your suffering, which should include a combination of your economic and non-economic damages.
Fortunately, when a negligent dog owner is the cause of your injuries, you have the right to be made whole. This means you should be compensated for the losses associated with your injuries. Here’s more about the various types of damages that you could be awarded if you win your Georgia dog bite injury claim.
Economic Damages You Could Suffer After a Dog Bites You
Many victims of dog bites report suffering from financial losses related to their injuries. If a dog attacked you, you might require considerable medical care. This might include:
- Hospital bills
- Prescription medications
- Diagnostic imaging
- Mental health counseling
- Copays
- Future medical care
Medical expenses are only one of the economic damages dog bite victims experience. Other types of economic damages you might be able to recover include:
- Unexpected child care expenses
- Cost of household maintenance
- Loss of income
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of future benefits
Our office to discuss your financial losses further and assign a value to your case.
Recovering Non-Economic Damages After a Dog Bite
Dog bite victims do not only experience economic loss after being attacked by a dog. In fact, the non-economic losses you might experience could be far more devastating. Non-economic damages do not have a fixed monetary value. They encompass all the non-financial ways your dog bite injuries have affected your life.
For example, you may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a dog attack. You might find it difficult to maintain relationships or continue doing the things you love. If this is the case, you could have grounds for compensation for diminished quality of life or loss of consortium.
You might also be able to obtain compensation if your dog bite injuries left you disfigured or scarred. Other types of non-economic damages victims often seek include:
- Pain and suffering and inconvenience
- Emotional distress
- Loss of society and support
How Punitive Damages Work in Dog Bite Cases
When pursuing a dog bite case, the court could also award you punitive damages. Even though many people believe punitive damages are awarded often, this is not the case. Under Georgia Code § 51-12-5.1, the judge only awards punitive damages when they find the liable party’s actions to be egregious or reprehensible.
You can think of punitive damages as the court system’s way of punishing the liable party. They want to send a message that the court will not tolerate these actions.
However, limitations on how much punitive damages you could be awarded do exist. Under the law, the court could award you a maximum of $250,000 in punitive damages.
How Dog Bite Survivors Receive Compensation For Their Injuries
You could be awarded compensation after a dog attack in multiple ways. You can file a claim with the dog owner’s homeowners insurance provider. However, you could need to file a lawsuit to bring your case to court.
Insurance companies do not always compensate claimants fairly or for every loss. Your personal injury lawyer in Georgia can give you a better idea of how to recover the compensation you deserve after examining the details of your case. Our team will fight for fair compensation so you can get your life back.
Establishing Fault and Liability in Your Georgia Dog Bite Case
When a dog attacks you and leaves you injured, you must prove that the animal’s owner is at fault. Your lawyer can do this by establishing the following factors:
- A dog’s owner must protect the community and keep the dog restrained in public.
- The owner in question did not protect you and did not properly restrain their dog.
- The dog bit you because its owner did not restrain it.
- Your losses are connected to the bite.
The dog’s owner could be at fault because they did not:
- Ensure the dog’s collar was secure
- Close or repair the gate that should have kept the dog on the owner’s property
- Ensure the chain that should have restrained the dog was sound
- Close their front door
While the dog’s owner would be at fault, their insurance company could be the liable party, as that is where the compensation could come from.
Contact a Dog Bite Lawyer’s Team in Georgia Today
If you suffered injuries after being attacked by a dog, you could have grounds for a lawsuit against the dog’s owner. Get help securing the justice you deserve with George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers. We know what to do after a dog bite to secure your health and chance at fair financial recovery.
You can receive a no-obligation consultation when you call our office at (888) 612-7001. Our staff can discuss the losses you suffered when the attack occurred. We will also consider your future losses.