Albany
Dog Bite Lawyer

A dog bite can cause serious damage. It can leave you with catastrophic injuries and significant trauma, both of which you deserve to seek justice for.

At John Foy & Associates, our Albany dog bite lawyers have been helping clients recover money for their injuries for over 25 years. We began as a small law office dedicated to assisting victims of accidents and attacks and have since grown into one of the largest personal injury law firms in the state.

Our personal injury lawyers in Albany want to help you get the compensation you’re entitled to. We’ll discuss your case and explain your legal rights while also reviewing the evidence to calculate the full value of your claim. Call us to get your free consultation today.

Why Hire Us as Your Albany Dog Bite Lawyer?

John Foy & Associates can support you throughout every stage of your dog bite claim. Our attorneys have a wealth of experience with these types of accidents and will work hard to get the best possible outcome for your claim.

Here’s why you need The Strong Arm™ on your side:

A Winning Mindset

We’re known for getting big wins for our clients. Since we started back in 1999, we’ve recovered more than $1 billion for our clients across Georgia, making sure every injury victim gets the money they’re entitled to based on the damages they’ve suffered. And we can do the same for your dog bite injury claim.

Exceptional Experience

Our Albany dog bite attorneys have 350 years of combined experience between them, allowing us to pull on a wealth of legal knowledge when it comes to supporting your claim. We can handle all the paperwork, negotiations with insurance companies, evidence collection, and more, so that you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.

In-Depth Investigations

As part of our service, we conduct an independent investigation into your dog bite attack. This includes reviewing all the evidence attached to your case, such as medical records, animal control reports, witness statements, photographs, and more. This will help us identify the liable party and estimate your damages.

Ongoing Support

Our team will keep you updated about the progress of your dog bite claim. We’ll offer ongoing support and guidance throughout the legal process, answering any questions you may have.

What Financial Recovery is Available in an Albany Dog Bite Case?

When you get bitten by a dog at RiverFront Park or other areas in Albany, you often end up with serious injuries that can cost a lot in damages depending on the circumstances. But there’s more to your injury claim than just financial losses. You may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages.

These can include:

• Medical bills for various medical treatment needs, including surgery, prescription medications, and follow-ups
• Physical or rehabilitative therapy and related costs
• Mental health treatment for any emotional harm or trauma related to the attack
• Lost wages, if you had to miss time from work because of the attack
• Physical pain and suffering caused by your injuries
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement

At John Foy & Associates, we know that money alone is never enough to compensate for the mental trauma and serious injuries you’ve suffered because of a dog bite, but money has allowed many of our clients to remain stable financially while they focus on recovery.

Who is Liable in a Dog Bite Case?

Under O.C.G.A. § 51-2-7, dog owners are usually held liable for dog bite injury claims. However, this may depend on the circumstances of the attack, including whether the dog was considered dangerous and whether the owner failed to properly control it. Whether the dog was provoked may also come under scrutiny.

Georgia law requires dog owners to exercise reasonable control over their animals. This might mean keeping them on a leash, closely monitoring the animal when it’s off-leash, or securing them when people are visiting. When a dog attacks someone, the owner has failed in their legal duty and may be required to pay compensation.

But because many dog owners have trouble believing that their animal could attack someone, they may try to minimize the severity of the bite or even blame the victim for provoking the dog. An Albany dog bite attorney from John Foy & Associates can help to prove liability and challenge any disputes.

What if the Dog Belongs to a Friend or Relative?

Many people hesitate to report a dog bite when the dog belongs to a friend or family member because they don’t want to get someone they care about into trouble. But reporting the attack is a must, even when the owner is someone close to you.

The claim is usually handled through the dog owner’s insurance provider. It may cover medical treatment at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital or another facility. It may also cover other damages you have suffered after your dog bite injuries. 

As such, you can still receive compensation without filing a lawsuit, which will better protect your personal relationship with the dog owner.

Other Potential Responsible Parties

While the dog owner is usually to blame, in some situations there may be multiple parties who can be held liable, including:

• Private property owners if the attack happened on their land
• Keepers at animal shelters
• Homeowners, landlords, and renters
• Business owners with dangerous dogs
• You, if you provoked the animal

Under Georgia’s modified comparative negligence rules, your settlement amount may be reduced based on your share of fault. However, if you’re found to be 50% or more to blame, you may be unable to recover compensation altogether. That’s why you need an experienced Albany lawyer for dog bite claims from John Foy & Associates in your corner.

What You Should Do if You’re Bitten By a Dog in Albany, GA

If you’ve been the victim of a dog attack, there are a number of steps you should take to ensure your safety and protect your legal rights. Here’s what you need to do:

• Seek medical treatment: Your first priority should be medical care. Even if your injuries don’t seem to be all that serious, having a medical professional take a look can help to give you peace of mind while also creating an official record of any treatment you’ve received.
• Collect basic information: If possible, try to get the dog owner’s name and contact information. You should also ask whether the dog has been vaccinated against rabies and whether it has bitten or attacked anyone before. If there were witnesses, ask for their names and contact information as well.
• Report the bite: In some instances, it may be reasonable to report the bite to local law enforcement or animal control. However, this will depend on the circumstances of the attack.
• Collect any evidence: Photographs of your injuries after the bite, witness statements, the clothing you were wearing, details on the location, and any video footage that may be available could all support your settlement claim.
• Speak to an attorney: Legal guidance can make all the difference to your case. We will send our investigators to the area where you were bitten to talk to neighbors who may know the dog and its owner. We can also search public records that will show whether the dog has a history of biting people.

If the dog’s owner is at the scene, they may be unwilling to offer any information. And if the dog was roaming around on its own, many of the above steps are a lot harder. This doesn’t mean you don’t have a case. At John Foy & Associates, our dog bite lawyers in Albany will get the information even if you can’t.

How to Report a Dog Bite in Albany, Georgia

There are two separate agencies that collect dog bite reports in the City of Albany and Dougherty County. You should report your bite to both of them:

• The Dougherty County Police Department: Contact the police immediately, and officers will come to the scene. They will talk to you, the other witnesses, and the dog’s owner, and file an incident report. The report can be a crucial piece of evidence in your claim.
• Albany Animal Control: If the situation is less serious, you may choose to contact animal control instead. They help with a range of cases including dog bites, dog fighting, dangerous dogs, and other situations where animal control laws are violated. They can issue citations and warnings.

By reporting the dog bite, you can protect yourself and the neighborhood from a dangerous animal. You’ll also give your Albany dog bite injuries lawyer evidence that they can use to help secure your compensation for the attack. The team at John Foy & Associates is here to assist you in filing a dog bite report in Georgia.

How Long Do You Have to Take Legal Action?

According to Georgia’s statute of limitations, you typically have two years from the date of the attack to file a dog bite lawsuit. While there may be some exceptions, missing this deadline usually means you can no longer recover compensation.

Injury victims should consult with one of our personal injury lawyers to learn more about what this law means for their specific situation. Our Albany dog bite injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates can advise you on how much time you have left and handle the filing process for you so you don’t miss a single deadline.

Albany Dog Bite Lawyer FAQs

When you’re bitten by a dog, you know that you’re hurt and it wasn’t your fault, but you may be facing a lot of uncertainty about where to go from here. Here are answers to some questions we often see from dog attack victims.

Is It Expensive to Hire an Albany Dog Bite Lawyer?

This will differ based on the type of law firm you choose and the details of your case. At John Foy & Associates, our dog bite accident lawyers in Albany work on a contingency fee basis, which means we won’t charge you unless we can win your case.

We think this is the fairest and best way to make sure you get the legal help you need, without the added strain of worrying about paying legal fees.

Is a Property Owner Liable if a Dog Bites a Trespasser?

The answer to this question depends on the situation. In general, Georgia law provides solid protections for property owners when someone is injured while trespassing, including dog bite cases. However, if you deliberately told your dog to attack a trespasser outside of a self-defense claim, that could make you liable.

What is Georgia’s Modified One-Bite Rule?

Georgia follows a modified one-bite rule, which means a dog owner may be held liable if they knew the dog was dangerous or vicious. If this is the first time the dog has bitten someone, the owner may not have known about the dog’s dangerous tendencies.

Georgia law also considers whether the owner was careless in managing or controlling the dog. These rules can make it easier for a dog bite victim to prove that the owner was responsible for the attack.

Talk to John Foy & Associates About Your Claim

Dog bite claims can be surprisingly complicated, especially if you’re not familiar with dog bite laws or what your rights are. At John Foy & Associates, we’re one of the few firms in Georgia with a strong track record of winning dog bite cases.

We offer a free consultation to talk about what happened to you and help you decide what to do next. Our team will take care of the entire legal process so that you can focus on recovering from your dog bite injuries.

Call our Albany dog bite lawyers today to get all the answers to your questions. We’re available 24/7 and can provide tailored legal advice.