Receiving Compensation Following a Dog Attack in Washington
Dog bites can lead to severe injuries, major medical bills, lost wages, and significant pain and suffering. When a person is bitten by someone else’s dog, they should be able to recover compensation for their losses. Here, the team at Colburn Law wants to look at what types of compensation are typically available in these cases as well as how much a dog bite injury case is worth.
Types of Compensation Available for a Dog Bite
When we look directly at Washington law, we can see that a dog owner will be held liable if their dog bites another person, so long as the other person was in a public place or lawfully in a private place when the incident occurred (RCW 16.08.040). The law says that the dog owner shall be held liable for damages.
But what are these damages?
At Colburn Law, our team works diligently to recover various types of compensation on behalf of dog bite injury victims in Washington. This includes both economic and non-economic compensation.
Economic compensation for a dog bite injury revolves around the types of losses that are relatively calculable, meaning we can gather up bills or receipts to prove these losses. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Emergency medical expenses
- Any follow-up medical care
- Surgical procedures
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation
- Prescription medications
- Lost wages
- Various out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic compensation after a dog bite injury in Washington is more immeasurable. These expenses are less concrete because there are no direct bills or receipts that the dog bite injury victim can supply that will show their:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional and psychological distress
- Loss of quality of life
Even though these types of losses are not as easily calculable as the economic damages mentioned above, they are just as real. There are various methods that our attorneys will use to properly calculate non-economic losses after a dog bite occurs.
How Much Is Your Case Worth?
There is no set amount of compensation set aside for Washington dog bite victims. Rather, the total amount of compensation a person receives will vary depending on several factors, including the severity of the injury, how much follow-up care is needed, the length of the recovery time, the level of emotional and psychological pain and suffering, and more.
It is important to work with an attorney who can call on medical and economic experts to adequately assess the situation and calculate total expected losses. These outside experts can examine the client and provide testimony to insurance carriers or at a personal injury trial, if one becomes necessary.
Information provided by Rolling Stone says that the average dog bite claim is approximately $50,000, though the factors mentioned above can push the total value of the claim below or significantly above this figure.
Reach Out to a Washington Dog Bite Attorney Today
If you or somebody you care about has sustained a dog bite injury in the state of Washington, you need to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. At Colburn Law, our team can fully examine every aspect of your claim and help you recover the compensation you need to get through this. We understand the complexities involved with these claims, but we understand dog bite laws in Washington, and we will not hesitate to stand up to aggressive insurance carriers on your behalf.