Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers in Louisiana

Baton Rouge Dog Bite Lawyer

Contact Us Today
Baton Rouge Dog Bite Lawyer

Have you been injured by a dog bite in Baton Rouge, LA? You could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Dog bite victims may be able to recover their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering from the dog owner.

At Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 50 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of injury victims. We have recovered tens of millions of dollars for our clients and are ready to help you, too.

Clients have come to trust us for all their personal injury claims in Baton Rouge, including car accidents, truck accidents, and dog bites. If a dog has bitten you, you need an experienced lawyer who knows how to handle the complexities of dog bite laws in Louisiana. Contact us today at (888) 601-0127 to schedule your free consultation with one of our Baton Rouge dog bite lawyers.

How Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Dog Bite Accident in Baton Rouge

How Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Dog Bite Accident in Baton Rouge

Dog bite cases in Baton Rouge, Louisiana can be complex, and proving liability can sometimes be difficult. You need an experienced attorney who knows the ins and outs of the law and how to prove your claim. When you hire us to handle your dog bite claim, you can count on us to:

  • Handle every aspect of your claim 
  • Investigate the dog’s history
  • Work to determine liability and hold all responsible parties accountable
  • Engage with experts when necessary
  • Aggressively negotiate with the insurance company

Members of our legal team have been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Let Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers handle your dog bite claim while you focus on getting better. Call us today for a free consultation with a Baton Rouge personal injury attorney.

What is My Dog Bite Case Worth?

The value of your dog bite case is dependent on several factors. The factor that has the biggest influence on the value of your case is the severity of your injuries. The more severe your injuries, the more your case is likely to be worth. Some additional factors that influence your case’s value are:

  • How much time you missed from work
  • Whether you will be able to return to work
  • The total amount of your medical bills
  • How your injuries affect your daily life and relationships with others
  • Your anticipated future medical care needs

Putting a dollar figure on a dog bite case is difficult without knowing the details of the case. Cases involving minor injuries may only be worth a few thousand dollars, while cases involving catastrophic injuries could be worth six figures or more.

The best way to determine the potential value of your claim is by seeking the advice of an experienced dog bite lawyer. The team at Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can provide you with a free case evaluation to give you an accurate estimate of the value of your case. Contact us today to get started.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?

According to the CDC, there are roughly 4.5 million dog bites in America each year. Some dog bite victims may be entitled to recover economic and non-economic damages. Together, these damages compensate a victim for their financial losses as well as their physical and emotional trauma resulting from the bite.

Economic damages are purely financial in nature, and there is usually plain evidence available to prove the value of these damages. Evidence may include bills, receipts, invoices, or other documentation. Some common economic damages present in dog bite cases are:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages
  • Physical therapy
  • Rehabilitation expenses

Non-economic damages are commonly referred to as “pain and suffering” damages. These damages are much harder to calculate because they are more subjective. Non-economic damages are frequently worth more than the economic damages associated with a case. Common non-economic damages in dog bites cases include:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Loss of quality of life
  • Permanent scarring

Our attorneys can help you calculate the full extent of your damages.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Dog Bite Lawyer?

After a dog bite accident, you are already under enough stress. You may be missing time from work, and your medical bills may be piling up. The last thing you need is the added stress of finding the money to hire a lawyer.

Hiring a dog bite lawyer does not have to cost you any money upfront. Most dog bite lawyers, including ours, use contingency fees in these cases. This means that you do not pay the lawyer any money upfront. Instead, their fee is taken as a percentage of any money you receive through a settlement, judgment, or award.

If your lawyer does not settle or win your case, they do not receive a fee. Typical contingency fees in these cases can range from 30% to 40% of the total recovery. Some factors that affect this percentage include:

  • The lawyer’s experience level
  • The complexity of the case and the specific injuries involved
  • The lawyer’s track record
  • Whether the case settles or goes to trial

Contingency fee agreements in Louisiana must be in writing, and clients must sign them. 

Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed For a Dog Bite in Louisiana?

A common tactic insurance companies use is blaming the victim for the accident. This is often done to minimize the amount they must pay on the claim or avoid paying it altogether. In dog bite cases, the defendant may attempt to prove that you provoked the dog or that you were negligent in some way.

The good news is that you may still be able to recover compensation even if you are being blamed for the accident. Louisiana follows a pure comparative negligence rule. This means that you may still be able to recover compensation as long as you were not totally responsible for the accident.

If you are found to share some fault, your recovery will be reduced by your portion of the fault. For instance, imagine that you suffered $20,000 in damages in an accident and were found to be 20% at fault. You could still recover 80%, or $16,000, of your damages.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation For All Of Your Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can result in extremely severe injuries, especially when a child or elderly person is involved. Some common injuries resulting from dog bites include:

  • Lacerations
  • Puncture wounds
  • Severe infections
  • Broken bones
  • Brain injuries
  • Soft tissue damages
  • Muscle or tendon damage
  • Nerve damage
  • Eye injuries

The aftermath of a dog bite can leave a victim with lifelong effects. It’s important that you reach maximum medical improvement before pursuing a claim so that you can recover all of your damages.

What Causes Most Dog Bites in Baton Rouge, Louisiana?

Some people think a dog must be aggressive for a bite accident to happen. However, that is not the case. Dog bites can happen out of nowhere, and even smaller breeds can do significant damage.

Pit bulls are the breed most likely to bite. In fact, they account for nearly one-fourth of all bites across the United States each year. In some situations, the bite is a result of provocation. However, dog bites often occur for no obvious reason.

At Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, we can investigate your dog bite to help determine the cause. We will also investigate the dog’s history to learn whether it has bitten or been aggressive in the past.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in Louisiana?

Louisiana follows a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases, including dog bites. This means that you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit for damages. Missing the deadline can cause you to lose all your rights to compensation.

Contact Our Baton Rouge Dog Bite Lawyers for a Free Consultation

After a dog bite in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, you need to focus on your recovery instead of the legal claims process. Let one of our Baton Rouge dog bite lawyers take some weight off your shoulders and handle every aspect of your claim.

Contact Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers today. We offer a free consultation.

Free case evaluation

About Us

Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers was founded to protect the rights of accident victims in Louisiana. Since our founding, we have become a recognized leader in personal injury law, recovering tens of millions for our injured clients. Our legal team boasts decades of combined experience and is known for taking on complex catastrophic injury and accident cases.

Areas We Serve

Mansfield Melancon Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers serves injured clients throughout Louisiana. We have office locations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette to better serve accident victims across the state, including Orleans Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and Lafayette Parish.

Call Now Button