QUESTION
What can we do if our dog bit someone?
Asked on Apr 29th, 2015 on Personal Injury - Louisiana
More details to this question:
About 3 weeks ago, our neighbor was bitten by our dog. He had to get several stitches on his forearm and we gladly paid all of his medical bills. However, earlier this week he wrote us saying that all further matters related to the dog bite incident should now go through the lawyer that he recently hired. What do we need to do from here? Do we need to retain counsel? Thank you.
16 ANSWERS
Thomas Edward Gates
You need to turn this over to your home insurance company. Do not speak to the attorney.
Answered on May 01st, 2015 at 5:44 AM
Edwin K. Niles
First, check your home-owner's policy. If you have one, there?s a good chance that liability coverage is included. If none, call the lawyer and tell him there is no insurance, and there?s a good chance that he won?t want to pursue it . If that fails, yes, time to lawyer up.
Answered on May 01st, 2015 at 5:43 AM
Plaintiff Animal Bites Attorney serving Missoula, MT
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Bulman Law Associates PLLC
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Report the claim to your homeowner's insurance company. If you rent and don't have insurance, you are on your own. If a lawsuit is served(delivered) to you, then you should consult an attorney, at your expense, about how to answer the lawsuit. Don't ignore it. Don't talk to anyone but a lawyer, including the neighbors. Your dog now has a history of violence, so the next bite will create almost automatic liability and the possibility of punitive damages. You may have to euthanize the animal to protect your family and your assets.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 10:38 AM
Admiralty and Maritime Law Attorney serving Gulf Breeze, FL
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Law Offices of John W. Merting, P.A.
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Call your homeowners insurance company immediately. They should have paid the medicals bills, not you and they should defend and settle any claim .
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 10:32 AM
Bankruptcy Attorney serving Madison, WI
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Richard B. Jacobson & Associates, LLC
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The first step is generally to notify your insurer, whether you own your home, or rent it (and, one hopes, have renters' insurance.) They should provide a defence up to the policy limits. If you are uninsured, or the claim is likely exceed policy limits, definitely retain a skilled lawyer.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 9:50 AM
If you have homeowner's insurance, you should contact them and they will defend you in this matter. However, if you do not, you will have to handle this on your own.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Appellate Attorney serving Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
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Musilli Brennan Associates, PLLC
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Immediately notify your homeowners/renters/general
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 9:31 AM
Ronald A. Steinberg
turn that letter over to your homeowner's insurance company for further handling. the owner of a dog is responsible (under Michigan law) for the results of an unprovoked attack by the dog. If the neighbor did something which the law recognizes as being a provocation, you may not be responsible. Let your homeowner's company deal with it.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 9:15 AM
1 Award
Contact your homeowners insurer or your renters insurer to report the bite. If you do not have insurance for what happened, you should contact a lawyers to help you.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 9:01 AM
James Eugene Hasser
Turn the claim over to your homeowner's insurance company.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 8:56 AM
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney serving Syracuse, NY
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Andrew T. Velonis, P.C.
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Notify your homeowner's (or renter's) insurance carrier. Do so now, immediately, today if you have not already done so. Co-operate fully in their investigation and defense. From there, they will take care of whatever needs to be done in terms of settlement, defense and legal representation. This is what you pay insurance premiums for.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 7:21 AM
Automobile Negligence Attorney serving Orlando, FL
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Kelaher Law Offices, P.A.
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Turn the matter over to your homeowner's insurance company. If you don't own the home and are a tenant, hopefully you bought renter's insurance and turn it over to them. Otherwise, just tell their lawyer you don't have insurance and maybe he'll either go away or be willing to take a very small sum for the injuries. In Florida, if you own a dog and the dog bites someone, you are statutorily liable to the person bitten, unless the person bitten did something to provoke your dog.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 7:18 AM
Auto Attorney serving Bloomfield Hills, MI
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Gregory M. Janks, P.C.
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Let your homeowner's insurance company know of the incident/claim. They should cover the loss and provide any adjustment, legal representation needed.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 7:18 AM
1 Award
Your homeowners insurance company provides liability coverage for you unless there is an exclusion for dog bites. You could notify them but may want to wait until you receive correspondence from an attorney. You can call your insurance agent and discuss the matter for advice and to verify that you are covered for this incident.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 7:02 AM
If you have any homeowner or renter insurance coverage, contact the insurance carrier. If you do not, contact in writing the attorney and, without admitting liability but saying your are sorry the incident did occur and you have paid all the medical bills, and ask if there are any outstanding bills you have not seen and what does he want. If you are a renter with little money or assets, tell him. Tell him there is no insurance coverage. If the attorney's demand to settle is too high [he may claim there are permanent scars or future surgery is needed], you need to contact several defense law firms to see what they can do for you and how much they will charge. In California, unless the person provoked the dog or trespassed onto your property, you are 1005 liable even if you did not know the dog was likely to bite.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 2:40 AM
Divorce Attorney serving New Orleans, LA
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Zitzmann Law, LLC
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Yes you probably should. In order to say any more I would need to know more of the facts surrounding the incident. Louisiana has a dog liability statue that allows for liability if the owner could have prevented it and it wasn't caused by provocation.
Answered on Apr 30th, 2015 at 2:33 AM