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How Can Dog Bite Victims Pursue Compensation for Their Injuries?
For many people and families, dogs are loving companions. Because of this, it can be easy to forget that dogs can also be dangerous, and they can inflict serious injuries when they bite or attack someone. By working with a personal injury attorney, dog bite victims can take legal action to pursue financial compensation that addresses their injuries and any other damages they have suffered.
Liability for Dog Bites Under Wisconsin Law
Victims of dog bite injuries have the right to pursue compensation from an animal’s owner or another person who was in control of a dog, such as a landlord or pet sitter. Wisconsin law states that a dog’s owner can be liable for the full amount of the damages inflicted by their pet when a dog injures a person or another domestic animal or causes damage to property.
An owner may be liable for injuries inflicted by their dog, even if they did not know that a dog had dangerous or aggressive tendencies or if the dog had not previously bitten or attacked anyone. However, if a dog did have a history of aggressive behavior, a dog’s owner may be required to pay additional damages. If a dog bites someone with force strong enough to break the skin, resulting in permanent scars or disfigurement, and the dog’s owner knew that the dog had previously bitten someone without provocation and inflicted the same types of injuries, the owner may be required to pay two times the amount of a victim’s damages.
A dog bite victim may be able to recover compensation for multiple types of damages, including:
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Medical treatment - Dog bites or attacks can result in multiple types of serious injuries, including puncture wounds, severe lacerations, broken or crushed bones, and damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A victim may pursue compensation for all expenses related to medical care for their injuries, including emergency treatment, surgery, and ongoing physical therapy.
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Loss of income - If injuries affect a person’s ability to work, they may pursue compensation for any income lost while recovering or impairments to their income earning capacity due to a temporary or permanent disability.
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Scarring and disfigurement - Dog bites can leave behind permanent scars, and a victim may pursue compensation for cosmetic surgery to address these issues or any other way they have been affected by this type of disfigurement.
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Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma - A victim may experience debilitating pain that affects their quality of life, as well as psychological issues that impact their relationships and their ability to work and participate in activities they had previously enjoyed.
Contact Our Milwaukee Dog Bite Injury Attorneys
Following a dog bite or animal attack, Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP can provide victims with legal help to ensure that they will be able to receive financial compensation that addresses their damages. We can help victims document the full extent of their injuries while taking the right steps to hold a dog’s owner responsible for their damages. Contact our Milwaukee, WI dog bite lawyers today by calling 414-271-1440.
Source:
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/174/02
