Dog bite accidents are common, with almost 4.5 million people bitten by dogs in the US every year. The compensation in a dog bite lawsuit varies from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands, depending on the severity of the dog bite. Therefore, these matters need the involvement of a legal expert for a viable solution. Victims can seek compensation after being bitten by a dog and use it to cover their legal damages, whether physical, emotional, financial, or mental. Some insurance types, such as homeowners, renters, and canine liability insurance, cover cases of dog bites. However, it is best to contact a dog bite lawyer for professional advice.
What if the owner is uninsured?
Not everyone has insurance or can afford the coverage of extra insurance. There is no need to worry in this scenario as alternatives are available for the victim. Usually, if there is no insurance coverage, the guilty is bound to pay for expenses out of their pocket. In the case of uninsured dog owners, any other person whose negligence caused the injury must be held responsible too. Following are a couple of scenarios that can help your case if the dog owner is uninsured.
- Employers of dog owners are also considered liable if this incident occurred when dogs were in employment duties.
- Check out if there is another co-owner of the dog as they might have insurance and can be held liable.
- The owner’s residency must be checked for insurance as insurance coverage of residency is the same as insurance coverage of the dog owner unless he has rented the place from someone else.
- The landlord can be included in the lawsuit if the dog owner has rented their property. If the landlord was aware of dangerous dogs or didn’t put up any warning signs on their property, they will be responsible for the victim’s injuries. In addition, they will be held accountable for paying part of the compensation.
- If any other person were taking care of the dog at the time of the incident, that dog handler would be held responsible. Check for their insurance; if they don’t have any, they will pay the compensation from their pocket.
- Victims can hold other parties liable too, like on work or other marketing premises due to negligence of workers there. In that case, the business will be sued on not a particular person.
- A compensation claim is also another possibility for the victim if they are working on a construction site.
In many cases, injuries suffered from a dog bite are not compensated, as the general public is not knowledgeable about their rights. To overcome this issue, you must consult a proper attorney who is an expert in the field. They know the local legal system and can offer the kind of help not possible if you fight the case independently. However, if the dog owner is uninsured, it complicates the matter as they may be unable to cover your compensation claims. Luckily an attorney at your side will deal with all the shortcomings and come up with the best possible solution.
