What Damages Can I Claim After a Dog Bite Injury?

There are several types of damages that you can receive compensation for. As long as they were directly related to your dog bite injury, then you can recover a settlement for them. The amount of compensation you can receive from your claim will depend on how much you can negotiate for out of court or during the trial.

The legal process of filing and negotiating for your claim can be arduous to do alone. Luckily, the dog bite injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates can provide you with a free consultation to show you how we can help you maximize the amount of your settlement. Please call us today at no risk or obligation to you.

Dog Bite Injury Damages You Can Compensate

Our dog bite injury attorneys can recover compensation for many types of damages you sustain.

Medical Expenses

One of the most apparent damages you can recover is medical expenses related to your dog bite injury. A recent report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reveals that in 2018, there were 26,906 reconstructive surgeries done for dog bites. Reconstructive surgery isn’t cheap and can cost a fortune to get done.

In fact, any medical treatment you receive can be costly. The average American doesn’t have enough saved up to pay for medical bills for even a moderate injury. Our lawyers will help you recover compensation, so you don’t have to rip chunks out of your hard-earned savings to pay for medical damages caused by a negligent dog owner.

Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capability

Dog bite injuries require time to heal, especially if they’re severe. During this healing period, you may need to miss out on work. Even worse, you may lose your job because your dog bite injuries prevent you from doing it. Whatever the case is, we will help you recover your lost wages.

If your injuries allow you to work, but at a reduced rate compared to when you were uninjured, we will assist you in recovering compensation to make up the difference as well.

Various Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are damages that don’t have any fixed value. What this means is that how much you can recover for them will depend greatly on:

• How much they’ve impacted the lives of you and your loved ones.
• How hard your life is after recovery.
• The severity of the damages you’ve sustained.

Some non-economic damages you can recover compensation for are:

• Wrongful death
• Loss of consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement
• Disability
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish and emotional trauma

Our dog bite attorneys will utilize various formulas and holistically evaluate all aspects of your case to derive a precise amount of compensation that covers these non-economic damages. Although money can’t replace everything, we hope that it can help you make a full recovery from your dog bite injuries.

You Can Also Recover an Award for Punitive Damages

Punitive damages, under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) §51-12-5.1, act as punishment against a negligent dog owner for injuring you. The only way you can receive an award for punitive damages is by showing that:

• The owner of the dog intentionally tried to harm you.
• The owner of the dog was acting fraudulently in some way.
• The owner of the dog was extremely negligent in protecting others from their pet.

Even though not all dog bite cases will result in recovering punitive damages, we will do our best to try and get a reward for them in addition to your settlement.

How Big Will My Settlement Be?

You may wonder how much, on average, dog bite settlements are worth. The truth is, we can’t really know for sure as they vary wildly from case to case. Some cases can recover around $20,000 while others can recover hundreds of thousands – it all depends on the damages you claim and how much of a negative impact your dog bite injuries have on you.

To get a proper estimate on how much your settlement is worth, you need to get in touch with one of our attorneys here at John Foy & Associates today. The faster you reach out to us, the quicker you can win the settlement you deserve.

Talk to Our Dog Bite Injury Lawyers Today

Give us a call or submit one of our contact forms online today. There is no risk or obligation when you reach out to our law firm. With more than two decades worth of experience, you can trust in us to work hard and fight on your behalf.