Office Locations Raleigh Personal Injury Dog Bites and Animal Attacks

Getting attacked by a dog or other animal can have long-term consequences. In addition to suffering severe injuries, you may be unable to work or engage in other basic activities of everyday living. Your injuries may require months of medical treatment and rehabilitation, leaving you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. You may find yourself struggling to pay your medical bills and other expenses. If you have suffered a serious injury as a result of an animal attack, a Raleigh dog bite attorney can help you get the compensation you need to get your life back.

Animal Attacks Can Result in Serious Injuries

Getting attacked by a dog or other animal can be a traumatic experience and result in severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Such injuries could include the following:

• Broken bones
• Torn ligaments, tendons, and muscles
• Puncture wounds and deep lacerations

People who are injured in animal attacks often suffer extensive injuries to the head, face, and neck area. These injuries can require extensive plastic surgery and leave the victim permanently disfigured. Concussions are also common in attacks where the animal knocks the victim to the ground.

However, dog bites and animal attacks aren’t always limited to physical injury. Many people who have been attacked by a dog or other animal also suffer emotional and psychological trauma in the following forms:

• Anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression

If you have been injured in an animal attack, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. An experienced Raleigh dog bite attorney can help you hold the animal’s owner accountable.

North Carolina’s “One Bite” Rule

North Carolina is one of only 18 states that still follow the “one bite” rule. Under this rule, dog owners cannot be held liable for injuries caused by their dog if they did not previously know the dog was dangerous. This can be a challenge for victims who are attacked by dogs without provocation if the dog has no known history of previously attacking people. That said, there are some exceptions:

• The dog has previously attacked some other domesticated animal
• The dog is trained as a fighting dog
• The dog is more than six months old and is roaming “at large,” and the owner is not present

In those situations, you may be able to hold the dog’s owner liable for your injuries even if they haven’t previously attacked someone.

North Carolina’s dog bite laws are complex. However, if you have been injured in a dog attack, a Raleigh dog bite lawyer can review your case and help you understand your options.

Work with a Raleigh Dog Bite Lawyer at Martin & Jones

If you have been injured in an animal attack, you need a Raleigh dog bite lawyer on your side who knows how to get results. For 40 years, we’ve been helping people across the state of North Carolina receive fair compensation for injuries suffered due to someone else’s negligence. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us today at 800-662-1234 to schedule a free consultation.