Children tend to suffer more severe dog bite injuries due to their height and less developed agility and strength. The number one priority after witnessing a dog biting your child is to summon emergency medical services and law enforcement to respond to the scene. After aid is rendered and police have responded, it would be wise to contact a New Jersey dog bite attorney to explore your possible legal remedies.
This article will discuss in further detail what to do immediately after your child is bitten by a dog, and the importance of speaking with an attorney to ensure your case is handled correctly and efficiently.
First Aid
Without a doubt, taking care of the injuries is the first priority. A child’s injuries from dog bites commonly occur on their faces due to their height. While applying pressure to the injuries to stop the bleeding, you should call 911. The sooner the child is taken to a hospital, the less severe the long-lasting ramifications may be. Plastic surgery may be necessary to reshape any severe injuries, especially to the face, and the sooner this is done the better the result may be.
After injuries have been taken care of and the adrenaline has subsided, you should collect documentation of the child’s medical expenses and care that was performed. This includes hospital location, EMTs, witnesses who may have assisted, and any Records of medical treatment. If you choose to seek the assistance of a dog bite lawyer, these documents will be very helpful.
Law Enforcement
Depending on the city or town, local or state police may respond in tandem with EMTs and paramedics. Police may already be familiar with the dog if there were previous instances of it injuring humans. Regardless of the dog’s history, advising law enforcement of the incident is necessary in order to create a record of what happened.
Additionally, the police who respond will likely collect witness statements. The police are supposed to be objective investigators, and the statements and evidence they gather may be helpful in your attorney’s investigation.
You should also maintain a photographic log of your children’s injuries during the healing process.
Your attorney should be able to collect body-cam/dash-cam footage, investigative reports, witness statements, and photographs.
Contact a New Jersey Dog Bite Attorney
After you and your child have left the hospital and gone home, you should consider reaching out to an attorney who provides free consultations. It may be daunting to consider navigating the legal system; however, an experienced personal injury attorney who is familiar with New Jersey’s court system will be able to handle the recovery process professionally efficiently and successfully.
An experienced attorney will know how to initiate your case and begin the litigation process. They will also start a process known as “discovery,” in which they acquire relevant evidence from law enforcement and the dog owner’s attorney, if they retain one. After starting the case and reviewing evidence, the attorney may use one of their investigators to gather additional evidence that may have been missed. After gathering sufficient evidence, the attorney will have a strong case to present to a jury.
It is also possible that an attorney will go through mediation with the dog owner’s lawyer and insurance company. This may lead to a payout for you and your child through insurance, instead of going through court.
After retaining an attorney, they should also describe to you the types of compensation you may receive and how it is calculated. Typically, there are economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages will cover issues such as loss of income, cost of medical care, and other elements in which you can assign a dollar value. On the other hand, non-economic damages will cover issues such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, and other emotional and mental trauma that can’t be measured by dollars.
Regardless of what path is taken, an experienced dog bite lawyer will talk you through each possible scenario. Attorneys who do their job properly will explain the pros and cons of each path while also presenting the possible outcomes. Ultimately, the choice will be up to you, but an attorney will guide you along the path while also handling the majority of the paperwork and communications.
Contact the Offices of Peter Briskin, Esq.
If you or someone you know has had a child that was injured by a dog, contact the law offices of Peter Briskin, Esq., for a free confidential consultation. Our attorneys know that the recovery process is long and traumatic, especially for children. We believe it’s important for our clients to focus on their recovery while our lawyers do the work of seeking out the best compensation for you and your family.