After a dog bite, your first priority should be to create a safe distance between yourself and the animal and then seek appropriate medical attention for your injuries, even if they seem minor. A sudden animal attack is a shocking and painful experience, and knowing the essential steps to take in the hours and days that follow can protect your health and your legal rights.
Key Takeaways for What to Do After a Dog Bite Attack
- Seeking prompt medical evaluation after any dog bite is critical to prevent infection and to officially document the extent of the injuries.
- Gathering information, including the dog owner’s contact details, witness statements, and photographs of the injuries and scene, is a vital step.
- Indiana law generally holds dog owners responsible if they were negligent or if they knew their dog had a history of being dangerous.
- Reporting the incident to local authorities, such as Hamilton County Animal Control, creates an official record and helps protect the community.
- Understanding the types of compensation available, known as damages, can include medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
- Speaking with a personal injury attorney can provide clarity on legal rights and options for pursuing a claim against the responsible party’s insurance.
Prioritize Your Health: Immediate Medical Steps After a Dog Bite
Once you are safely away from the animal, your focus must turn to your physical well-being. Dog bites carry a significant risk of infection, as a dog’s mouth contains numerous bacteria. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately 20% of dog bites become infected. Puncture wounds can be particularly deceptive, appearing small on the surface while trapping harmful bacteria deep within the tissue.
For this reason, seeing a doctor is a non-negotiable step. A medical professional can properly clean the wound, determine if stitches are necessary, and decide if you need a tetanus shot or antibiotics to prevent infection. This visit also serves another crucial purpose: it creates an official medical record of your injury. This documentation will be extremely important if you decide to seek compensation later.
While waiting for medical care or for minor scrapes, you can take some initial first aid steps at home:
- Wash the wound gently with mild soap and warm running water for several minutes.
- Apply a clean cloth to the area to slow any bleeding.
- Once the bleeding has stopped, apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a sterile bandage.
Remember, these first aid measures are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always have your injury evaluated by a healthcare provider to ensure it is treated correctly and to minimize the risk of complications.
Gathering Important Information After a Dog Bite
While your health is the top priority, collecting key information at the scene, or as soon as possible afterward, is fundamental to protecting your rights. If you are too injured or shaken to do this yourself, ask a trusted friend, family member, or helpful bystander to assist you. The evidence you gather in these early moments provides a clear and accurate picture of what happened.
Try to calmly and politely collect the following details:
- The Dog Owner’s Information: Get the owner’s full name, home address, and phone number. If possible, ask for their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance information, as this is typically the policy that covers dog bite incidents.
- Witness Contact Details: If anyone saw the attack, ask for their name and phone number. Independent witness testimony can be very valuable in confirming the details of the incident.
- Photographs and Videos: Use your smartphone to take pictures of your injuries before they are treated. Also, take photos of the location where the bite occurred, the dog itself if it is safe to do so, and anything that might be relevant, like a broken fence or a leash that was not in use.
This collection of information helps establish the facts of the event. Having clear evidence makes it much easier to hold the responsible party accountable for the harm and disruption the incident has caused in your life.
Understanding Indiana’s Dog Bite Laws
When you’re figuring out what to do after a dog bite, it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of how Indiana law approaches these situations. Unlike some states with “strict liability,” where an owner is almost always responsible for any bite, Indiana has a more nuanced rule. Generally, Indiana law, specifically Indiana Code 15-20-1-3, places responsibility on an owner if their dog, without being provoked, bites a person who is acting peaceably and is in a place where they are legally allowed to be.
This often comes down to two main ideas: negligence and prior knowledge.
- Negligence: This means the owner failed to use reasonable care to control their dog. For example, if an owner violated a Fishers leash ordinance while walking through the Saxony development and their dog bit someone, that could be considered negligence.
- Prior Knowledge (The “One-Bite Rule” Concept): Indiana law also considers whether the owner knew or should have known that their dog had a propensity, or a tendency, to be dangerous. If a dog had bitten someone before or showed aggressive behavior, the owner is on notice and has a higher duty to prevent future attacks.
Proving that an owner was negligent or knew their dog was potentially dangerous is key to a successful dog bite claim in Indiana. This is why gathering evidence about the dog’s history and the circumstances of the bite is so important for establishing liability.
Reporting the Dog Bite in Fishers and Hamilton County
Filing an official report is a critical step in the process of what to do after a dog bite. It serves two main functions: it creates an official record of the incident for your potential claim, and it protects your community. A dangerous dog that has bitten once may bite again, and reporting the animal to the proper authorities can prevent someone else, perhaps even a child, from being hurt in the future.
In our area, you should report the bite to Hamilton County Animal Control or the local police department. When you make the report, an officer or animal control official will likely investigate the incident.
Here is what you can generally expect when you file a report:
- Provide a Statement: You will be asked to describe exactly what happened, including the date, time, and location of the bite.
- Share Your Evidence: Give the officer the dog owner’s information, witness contacts, and any photos you took.
- Discuss the Dog: The officer may want to know about the dog’s behavior before, during, and after the attack. They will also need to verify its vaccination status, particularly for rabies.
Filing this report does not automatically start a legal claim for compensation, but it is an official, unbiased record of the event that can be used to support your case with the dog owner’s insurance company.
What to Do with Your Dog Bite Claim: Dealing with Insurance
Most dog bite claims are paid not by the dog owner personally, but through their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. These policies typically include liability coverage for injuries caused by the policyholder or their pets. According to the Insurance Information Institute, dog bites and other dog-related injuries cost homeowners’ insurers $1.580 million last year.
Soon after the incident, you may be contacted by an insurance adjuster from the dog owner’s company. It is very important to be cautious in these conversations. The adjuster’s job is to protect their company’s financial interests, which means their goal is to pay out as little as possible on your claim.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with an insurance company:
- Do Not Give a Recorded Statement: You are not obligated to provide a recorded statement without first speaking to an attorney. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that could be used to devalue your claim or shift blame to you.
- Do Not Accept a Quick Settlement: The first offer an insurance company makes is often far less than what your claim is truly worth. They may pressure you to settle quickly before the full extent of your injuries and expenses is known.
- Do Not Sign Anything: Do not sign any medical authorizations or settlement agreements without fully understanding what you are agreeing to.
Conversations with an insurance company can be frustrating. Their priority is not your recovery. Understanding their role can help you protect yourself from making a mistake that could harm your ability to receive fair compensation for your injuries.
Documenting Your Injuries and Losses
To recover fair compensation for a dog bite, you must be able to demonstrate the full impact the injury has had on your life. In legal terms, these impacts are called “damages.” Damages are not just about the initial medical bill; they cover a wide range of financial and personal losses you have suffered because of the attack.
It is helpful to keep a dedicated file or folder where you can track everything related to the incident. This organized record will be incredibly useful for substantiating your claim.
Your documentation should include:
- Economic Damages: These are the losses with a clear dollar value. Keep every bill, receipt, and pay stub related to the bite. This includes emergency room visits, doctor’s appointments, prescription medications, physical therapy, and any wages you lost from missing work at your job in Indianapolis or elsewhere.
- Non-Economic Damages: These losses are less tangible but just as real. They refer to the physical pain, emotional distress, scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life you have experienced. Keeping a simple daily journal can be a powerful way to document this. Write down your pain levels, any difficulties you have with daily activities, feelings of anxiety or fear around dogs, and how the injury is affecting your life.
- Photographs of Your Recovery: Continue taking photos of your injury as it heals. This creates a visual timeline that can show the severity of the wound and any resulting scarring, which is often a significant component of a dog bite claim.
Thoroughly documenting all your damages is one of the most proactive things you can do after a dog bite. This detailed evidence ensures that every aspect of your suffering is accounted for when seeking compensation.
Why You Should Consider Speaking with a Personal Injury Attorney About What to Do After a Dog Bite
After a dog bite attack, consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney can help relieve your burden and significantly improve the outcome of your case. An attorney works on your behalf, handling the complexities of the legal process so you can focus on your recovery.
An attorney can manage several critical aspects of your claim:
- Investigating the Incident: A legal team can conduct a thorough investigation to gather all necessary evidence, including tracking down witnesses, obtaining animal control records, and determining if the dog had a known history of aggression.
- Calculating Your True Damages: An attorney can help you identify and calculate all your losses, both economic and non-economic, to ensure you are pursuing a settlement that truly reflects the full scope of your suffering and financial hardship.
- Handling the Insurance Company: A lawyer will take over all communication with the insurance adjuster. They are skilled negotiators who know how to counter the tactics adjusters use to minimize payouts and will fight for a fair settlement on your behalf.
- Meeting Legal Deadlines: In Indiana, there is a time limit for filing a personal injury lawsuit, known as the statute of limitations. An attorney will make sure all legal deadlines are met, protecting your right to pursue your claim in court if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
Getting professional guidance can level the playing field between you and the large insurance company, providing you with the support you need to secure the resources necessary for your recovery.
FAQ for What to Do After a Dog Bite
Here are some answers to common questions people have after being injured by a dog.
This is a common and sensitive situation. It is important to remember that a claim is typically made against the person’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, not against them personally. Your friend or relative will likely not have to pay out of pocket. The purpose of insurance is to cover these exact types of unexpected accidents, allowing you to get the compensation you need for your medical bills without creating personal financial hardship for your loved one.
Yes. In Indiana, property owners have a duty to keep their visitors reasonably safe from foreseeable harm, which can include a dangerous dog. If you were legally on their property, such as an invited guest at a home in Carmel or a mail carrier delivering a package, the owner can still be held responsible for the bite.
While a known history of aggression makes a case stronger under Indiana’s “one bite rule,” it is not the only path to a successful claim. An owner can also be held liable if they were negligent in controlling their dog, regardless of the dog’s past behavior. Examples of negligence include violating a local leash law, failing to repair a hole in a fence through which the dog escaped, or not properly supervising the dog around guests.
Contact a Fishers Dog Bite Attorney Today
Being bitten by a dog is a frightening experience that can leave you with physical wounds and emotional trauma. You may have a lot of questions and just want an honest assessment of your situation and your options. At Wyant Law, we believe that lawyers should be approachable and easy to talk to.
Attorney Chris Wyant is a dedicated and experienced Indiana injury attorney who is committed to helping his clients recover the compensation they deserve. He understands the complexities of these cases and will guide you through the legal process with personalized attention and compassionate support. He will take the time to listen to your story, answer your questions, and provide you with straightforward advice.
Let Chris Wyant handle the legal aspects of your case, including investigating the accident, gathering evidence, and negotiating with the insurance companies, so you can focus on your health and recovery. If you or a loved one has been injured by a dog bite in Fishers, Indianapolis, or anywhere in Indiana, contact Wyant Law today at (317) 683-0333 or through our online form for a free consultation to discuss your case.