A child injury claim can be a tough situation to deal with on your own. It gets even more stressful when a friend’s pet is involved. Hiring a dog bite lawyer can help with collecting evidence, reporting the incident, and following New York state law when emotions are overwhelming.
Around 466,000 people need to go to a medical professional due to dog bites every year, with another 334,000 needing to go straight to an emergency room, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Many of these bites happen with a friend’s pet. That’s why we’re here to help show you how suing a friend for injury doesn’t have to ruin a relationship.
Seek Medical Attention First
Before contacting a child injury claims lawyer, seek medical attention for the injury. Even an injury that appears minor could need treatment.
It’s also crucial not to ignore the possibility of mental trauma. After a professional takes care of the physical injury, make sure to take the time to assess how your child is feeling.
It may take a psychiatrist to work through any lingering trauma that your child faced during the incident.
Don’t forget to evaluate your own mental state. Parents can be adversely affected by a child’s injury and the stress it creates, even if they don’t realize it at first.
Avoid Letting Emotions Cloud Judgment
Understandably, emotions are running wild before, during, and after an injury. The problem is that if emotions take over, you could do irreparable damage to a close-knit relationship.
The key is to disconnect the emotion from the practical tasks you need to do. Ask your friend to do the same.
Only once you’ve followed through our list of steps and prepared yourself fully for an injury claim is it time to circle back and talk more candidly. Talking through emotions with loved ones is an important part of the healing process, but don’t let it overrule your judgment.
Collect Evidence
Taking the right evidence can go a long way in making your claim easier to manage. All kinds of evidence are useful for your lawyer to have on hand, including:
- Photos of the injury, both before and after treatment
- Medical records
- Dog owner’s information
- Dog’s previous vaccinations
- Records of previous attacks the dog made
- Photos of the place of the incident
- Records from police and doctors
- Accounts from any witnesses
If your friend is asking for some way to help, get them to assist with this collection of evidence. This can help lower tensions between the two of you and give everyone something helpful to do during a worrying time.
Report the Incident
A step that may cause trouble in a friendship is the necessity to involve police and insurance companies. Sometimes it feels easier to ignore this step because people don’t want to cause stress for their friend.
The issue with this is that you’re giving up a lot of legal power and medical payments you’re entitled to.
Instead, it’s better to talk with your friend and report the incident to both the police and any necessary insurance companies together. This makes certain that you’re still getting the right protection and your friend won’t need to worry that the incident was exaggerated.
Understand New York Laws
The more you understand the New York City dog bite laws, the better protection you and your family have. It can be overwhelming to navigate if you’ve never done so before, which is why hiring a dog bite lawyer can be so beneficial.
They’ve studied the local laws until they have an intrinsic understanding of how to work through them every step of the way.
They can assist in making sure nothing goes unnoticed and can even help get compensation for any potential pediatric scar reconstruction costs. A sense of loyalty won’t sway them, nor will they worry about offending anyone. They only have your rights in mind and can help guide the claim process in the right direction.
This is why many families choose to put their trust in a professional lawyer during difficult times like this.
Statute of Limitations
Sometimes a person’s first instinct is not to file a claim when the claim involves a friend. However, distance from the situation and medical costs can change a person’s perspective.
The good news is that you have time to figure out what you want to do and how you want to approach the situation.
The statute of limitations in New York City lasts three years before dog bite claims lose legal power. For minors, this three-year timer doesn’t start until the minor reaches 18.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Proof Is Needed for a Dog Bite?
Most states, including New York, need concrete proof of the injury (usually from a doctor) to make a successful injury claim. A police or animal control report can also help pave the way to a smooth process. It’s often much better to have too many details than not enough.
Who Pays for a Dog Bite?
This can depend on minor settlement court approval, but in nearly all cases, the dog’s owner pays for the injury.
Can a Dog Who Has Bitten Be Trusted Again?
Trust can be rebuilt, but it’s important to take small steps when reacquainting your child with the dog. Children’s dog bite trauma isn’t something to ignore, and it may take a lot of time before your child wants to be near another dog again.
Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer To Help Ease Tensions
Trying to work through a personal injury is already a tough process, but it’s infinitely more difficult when both your child and a close friend are involved. By hiring a dog bite lawyer, you’ll ensure that you’re getting a third-party perspective that knows how to represent your claim without emotional tension getting in the way.
Aminov Law Group brings a balance of compassion and focused advocacy so our clients can pursue fair compensation. We know how to navigate New York laws and guide you through the process.
Our practice represents all five boroughs of New York City, so contact us today to discuss your personal injury claim.