If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog in Worcester you might be wondering how much compensation you can receive.

We’ve definitely had a lot of clients walk in asking us this question and today we are going to look at a list of items that you should be compensated for should you be bitten by someone else’s dog. The list is not an exhaustive one but it should give you an idea of what you are entitled to in terms of compensation.

Statistics of Dog Bite injuries and the number of people who seek medical attention.

Dog Bite Compensation Worcester

Medical Bills

This one is pretty obvious because everyone is always advised to seek medical attention as soon as they are bitten by a dog. The Amount you will spend in medical bills will depend on the extent of your injuries.

Let’s say for instance, you sustained severe bites to the face, you will need medical attention from specialists like plastic surgeons. If the dog attacked you and made you slip or trip and fall causing you to break a bone or sustain some serious injuries, you might need help from a physiotherapist. You might also need help from a psychiatrist or counselor due to the psychological trauma caused by a dog bite or attack from a dog. All these services are in addition to hospital services and medication.

If you had a pre-existing injury and the dog bite further aggravated the injury, you may be entitled to a higher compensation amount. The common legal rule is that if you were hurt by someone, they are responsible for all injuries that flow from their actions even if the injuries were made worse by a pre-existing condition you already had.

Lost Income

If the dog bite caused you to miss time from work in order to recuperate, seek medical treatment or diagnosis, then the owner of the dog must reimburse you for any lost income. If the dog bite injuries impaired your ability to work in the future, they must also compensate you for future lost earnings.

Pain and Suffering

We typically categorize pain and suffering as “intangible” damages, meaning it’s not easy to put a dollar amount on it because you can’t physically see pain and suffering to determine the extent and damage it causes.

Pain and suffering is very real and even though jurors and lawyers have a hard time putting a dollar value on it, they still manage to do it. Jurors will put a dollar value on it during trial and lawyers will do it during settlement negotiations.

These factors will determine how much you will receive in pain and suffering:

• If the attack was unprovoked. A jury is likely to award you a higher compensation amount if an unprovoked dog caused your injuries.
• A jury will also compensate you if they discover that the dog was not vaccinated for rabies. The time you anxiously spend wondering if the dog is going to start showing signs of rabies is equivalent to suffering.
• If the dog attacked a child, they may start having nightmares or develop a phobia for dogs causing psychological pain and suffering.

Read what to do if you are bitten by a dog.

Multiple Damages

There are statutes that allow you to collect even triple in damages if the dog has ever bitten someone else before. You are also entitled to multiple damages if the dog has been officially labeled as “dangerous” under state law because of its previous behavior.

Punitive Damages

You may also be entitled to punitive damages if the dog owner displayed outrageous behavior. An example of outrageous behavior is letting a dog known to be dangerous run loose. The dog owner may be ordered to pay an extra amount above what you should receive in compensation.

Punitive damages are typically based on the wealth of the dog owner. This will help jurors ensure that the amount the dog owner pays “stings” them.

You should, however, keep in mind that if a jury awards you an unrealistically huge amount of money, a judge might reduce the amount if the verdict is appealed.

Why You Should Hire An Experienced Dog Bite Lawyer in Worcester

An experienced dog bite lawyer will be able to evaluate your settlement offer and decide whether it’s fair or not. There’s no need for you to suffer alone or try to guesstimate how much you should receive.

At Kevin P Landry, we will study your situation and fight for justice on your behalf. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we only get paid when you get paid.

You can speak to one of our Worcester dog bite lawyerand we’ll be happy to provide you with a free initial consultation today.