Interviewer: If you’re the victim of a dog bite, once you seek medical attention, what would be your next step?  What would be recommended?

Bill: As far as I’m concerned I would like to hire me or another qualified attorney, but it depends on the severity of the injury and the desire of the injured person.  If they wish, they can file a complaint with animal control and then go about their life.

Interviewer: If the severity was bad enough and they felt they had a good case what should they do once they sought medical attention?  Should they call animal control first or retain you first?

After a Dog Biting Incident, a First Responder May Have Contacted Animal Control after Attending to Your Injuries

Bill: Generally what will happen in the order of things, when there’s an animal attack and a resulting injury, animal control will be called, whether by the victim or by the first responder’s if the injury is serious enough.

After a Dog Bite Incident, If You Intend to Pursue a Personal Injury Claim, You Should Consult with an Attorney so He or She Can Preserve Evidence to Support the Claim

After the victim contacts animal control then I always recommend speaking to a lawyer if you’re going to pursue the claim.  It’s the same as any other claim.  The sooner that a lawyer gets in control of the case the sooner vital information can be preserved.  For example, witness statements, photographs of the injury, those are two examples of things that any lawyer is going to want to do, want to have.

What Are the Stages of a Personal Injury Case from a Dog Bite Incident?

Interviewer: During a dog bite lawsuit, let’s presume someone has filed a claim and you’ve met with them.  You’re going to court, you’ve decided on the strategy of the case.  What would the stages of that lawsuit be?  What would someone expect?

Prior to Scheduling a Trial Date, Both Sides Will Proceed through Discovery and Will Include Depositions for the Victim and the Animal’s Owner

Bill: The same as any other lawsuit.  We file a complaint; the defense answers; we go through what’s called discovery.  We ask each other numerous questions.  We may take depositions.

The defense is likely to take a deposition of my client.  I’m likely to take a deposition of the dog owner and possibly witnesses.  Once the stage we call discovery is concluded, we proceed to the trial.

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