Indiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
Dogs are aptly known as man’s best friend. But dogs are also powerful creatures with bites that can cause significant injury and permanent damage. When an owner ignores leash laws or fails to maintain control of a dog and that dog attacks and inflicts injury on you, your loved one, or your own dog, you need an Indiana dog bite injury lawyer to fight for your right to compensation.
Keffer Hirschauer LLP knows what it takes to be successful in a dog bit claim. With years of experience and enviable skills—both in litigating and settling their clients’ claims—our work as your personal injury lawyer is a priority.
Should You Contact an Indiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyer?
While most of us do not like to think about it, dog bites can happen anytime a canine animal is present, whether the dog is a stranger or belongs to a family or owner you know. A high percentage of dog bite injuries actually involve dogs that are known to the victim.
Regardless of whether you know the dog’s owner, it is important to begin the process of seeking compensation for your injuries as quickly as possible. Dog bites can be extremely serious and debilitating. In some cases, they can even be life-threatening or fatal. The Indianapolis dog bite lawyers at Indiana Injury Lawyers can help you seek the financial compensation you need by filing a dog bite claim.
An Indiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Knows the Facts and Statistics
Dog bite injuries are frequently very serious, and most of them are preventable. We would like to believe that our neighbor’s lovable pup would not turn angry or bite unexpectedly out of fear. However, an Indiana dog bite injury lawyer can tell you that it can happen at any time and it can be sudden and unexpected.
The following are some facts and figures concerning dog bites:
- Every day, approximately 1,000 people in the US alone require treatment in an emergency department for a dog bite injury
- Every year, more than 14,000 people in the US are hospitalized due to the severity of a dog bite injury
- Homeowners insurance claims pay out hundreds of millions of dollars in dog bite liability claims annually
- Dog bite insurance claim payouts have risen by more than 130 percent in the last 15 years
- About 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year, and approximately 20 percent of those dog bites gets infected
- In some years, tens of thousands of people annually have needed reconstructive surgery due to a disfiguring dog bite injury
- Average dog bite hospital stays cost more than $18,000
- Children are significantly more likely than adults to sustain a fatal dog bite injury
- Dog owners, specifically adults living with two dogs or more, have a five-times higher risk of sustaining dog bites than those living without dogs in the home
If you’re not an Indiana dog bite injury lawyer, these facts and statistics are probably quite surprising. Unfortunately, experienced Indiana dog bite attorneys are all too familiar with the frequency and consequences of dog bites and attacks. This experience makes us best equipped to help you if you or your loved one is victimized by an animal.
Indiana Dog Bite Laws
In Indiana, dog bite liability depends on the identity of the victim. Under Indiana’s strict liability statute, in order for a dog owner to be strictly liable for injuries—regardless of whether the dog was known to have a propensity for violence or past vicious behavior—the following must be true of the person who is bitten:
- Must be acting peaceably
- Must be in a location where she or he is required to be for a job or duty related to Indiana law, federal law, or postal service through the United States Postal Service
To clarify, this specific statute applies to government and postal workers but not to the average or reasonable person who is bitten by a dog. Experienced and knowledgeable Indianapolis dog bite lawyers can help people who do not fall within this statute.
For other people who are bitten by a dog, in order to recover damages, the “one-bite rule” typically applies. The one-bite rule provides that a dog owner can be held liable if an owner knew or should have known that the dog had a propensity for violence or showed any past vicious behavior. To bring a claim based on the owner’s knowledge of the dog’s past behavior, the dog bite victim wil typically bring a claim under a theory of negligence instead of strict liability.
When It Is Time to Contact an Indiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyer
No one wants to consider that man’s best friend can be capable of harming people, but, at Keffer Hirschauer LLP, we know that it is unfortunately possible, and we are here to help you through your Indiana dog bite claims.
If you have been a victim of a dog bite or attack, the best thing you can do after receiving medical attention is to contact an Indiana dog bite injury lawyer at Keffer Hirschauer LLP. Our experienced Indianapolis dog bite attorneys have the litigation skills and experience to fight for your right to compensation for your injury. For a free consultation, call 317-455-4043 or fill out this contact form.