Have you or your child been bitten by a dog in Lanham, MD? If so, call Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible. It’s important to take legal action to ensure the dog’s owner is held accountable and that you’re able to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, disfigurement, and distress. Our experienced Lanham dog bite lawyers can help you assert a strong legal claim and fight for the top-dollar award you deserve.
Dog bite victims and families in Lanham trust Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers because we’re passionate legal advocates with over 125 years of experience handling complex personal injury claims. We’ve taken on powerful insurance companies, property owners, corporations, and government agencies and won more than $100 million in settlements and jury awards on behalf of our clients.
Don’t settle for less than your dog bite claim is worth. Instead, demand maximum compensation by trusting our award-winning law firm to fight for you. There’s no charge for an initial case evaluation. Contact our Lanham law office to schedule yours today at (301) 936-0011.
How Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers Helps Dog Bite Victims in Lanham, MD
Dog bites affect more than 4.5 million Americans every year, half of which are children. Resulting injuries can be catastrophic and have the potential to inflict long-term harm and suffering. Immediate costs can be overwhelming. The dog’s owner and other responsible parties must be held accountable. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for dog bite victims to recover the compensation they need and deserve in Lanham, Maryland.
You can set the stage for victory by hiring an experienced Lanham personal injury lawyer to handle your dog bite case.
At Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers, we’ve been recognized as leaders in civil litigation by Martindale-Hubbell, Expertise.com, Lawyer Legion, Best Lawyers, and other respected legal organizations. We refuse to let powerful corporations and negligent parties walk away without taking responsibility for the harm they’ve caused. Instead, we invest our law firm’s considerable resources into forcing the accountability our clients deserve.
Take the time you need to focus on recovering from your painful dog bite injuries and count on us to:
- Investigate the underlying details of your dog bite to understand how and why it happened
- Evaluate veterinary records, animal control complaints, photographs, surveillance footage, medical records, witness statements, and other evidence we gather during discovery
- Collaborate with animal behaviorists, medical professionals, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and other expert witnesses
- Determine who, other than the dog’s owner, might be liable for your dog bite injuries
- Assess how your life has changed since you were bitten by the dog and calculate what your dog bite claim is worth
- File your legal claim with the Prince George’s County court clerk
- Demand a maximum settlement agreement during negotiations with the defense
- Provide support and advice when you have to decide whether to accept or reject a settlement offer
- Bring your dog bite lawsuit to trial, if necessary
Our Lanham dog bite attorneys represent clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay absolutely nothing for our law firm’s help until we’ve recovered compensation for your dog bite claim.
We also offer a free consultation, so don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your dog bite case today. Members of our legal team in Lanham are always available to take your call.
Does Maryland Have a One Bite Law?
Some states have a “one bite” law that protects a dog’s owner if their dog bites someone. The owner isn’t automatically liable for resulting injuries. Instead, liability is only automatic when the dog has a documented history of aggression. In essence, the dog’s first bite is free.
Maryland does not have a one-bite law. Instead, a dog owner is strictly liable any time their animal bites another person. Strict liability means that the owner is responsible for injuries or deaths regardless of the steps they’ve taken to prevent an attack.
Who’s Liable For My Dog Bite Injuries?
The dog’s owner isn’t the only one who might be liable for your injuries.
In Maryland, dog bite lawsuits can be based on strict liability or negligence. If you prove that someone else’s negligence contributed to your dog bite, they can be held accountable for some or all of your resulting damages.
Depending on where, how, and why you were bitten by a dog, potentially liable parties might include:
- Landlord
- Business owner
- Pet groomer
- Veterinarian
- Property owner
- Dog walker
- Employer
You can also bring a negligence action against the dog’s owner, especially if they allowed the dog to run loose or violated Maryland’s leash laws.
Our dog bite attorneys in Lanham will carefully evaluate the details of your case and determine who, other than the dog’s owner, might be responsible for your injuries. When liability is clear, we’ll work hard to make sure that you’re compensated for those dog bite injuries in full.
What Do I Have to Prove to Win a Dog Bite Lawsuit?
It depends on the grounds on which you’re bringing a dog bite claim.
For claims based on strict liability, you must be able to prove:
- The dog was owned by or under the defendant’s control.
- The dog bit you while you were lawfully on the premises where the attack took place.
- You’ve suffered damages.
The dog’s owner might try to defend themselves by saying that you provoked the dog. So, it might also be necessary to prove that you were bitten without provocation.
For claims based on negligence, you will have to prove:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care (e.g., to protect you from reasonably foreseeable threats of harm).
- The defendant breached this duty of care (e.g., allowing a dog they knew had a history of aggression to remain at large on the premises).
- The defendant’s conduct was the direct and proximate cause of your dog bite injuries.
- You’ve suffered damages.
Maryland law requires you to prove your personal injury claim by a preponderance of the evidence. Your claims – whether based on strict liability or negligence – must be more likely true than not in order for you to receive compensation.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Being Blamed for a Dog Bite Incident in Maryland?
Maryland follows a contributory fault standard, which means that if you are even slightly responsible for a dog bite, you will be barred from recovering compensation altogether. Our legal team can help you fight allegations of shared fault and ensure that the responsible party is held liable for their actions or inactions.
What Are Common Dog Bite Injuries in Lanham?
No matter the breed, all dogs have the potential to inflict severe physical injuries when they bite.
Some of the most commonly reported dog bite injuries include:
- Puncture wounds
- Broken bones
- Internal organ damage
- Internal bleeding
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Infections and disease
- Cuts and lacerations
- Neck injuries
- Eye injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Degloving injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Do not hesitate to seek medical care once you’ve been bitten by a dog. Timely treatment can significantly reduce the risk of infections or complications and strengthen the evidence needed to win your dog bite claim.
What Compensation Can Be Awarded to Lanham Dog Bite Victims?
As a dog bite victim in the state of Maryland, you’ll have the right to request compensatory damages from the dog’s owner or another liable party.
Compensatory damages can include two different types of awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages help you make up for the financial costs related to your dog bite injuries, including:
- Hospitalization, corrective and/or plastic surgery, medication, medical devices, and other current medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages and disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Nursing care
- Therapy
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages are intended to help you navigate more subjective trauma, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- PTSD
- Emotional distress
- Embarrassment
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
Our Lanham dog bite attorneys will carefully evaluate your financial costs and work with experts to understand how the attack has changed your quality of life. Then, we’ll work hard to force the dog’s owner and other liable parties to make a settlement offer that accurately reflects what your dog bite case is worth.
How Long Will I Have to File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Maryland?
Maryland has a three-year statute of limitations that applies to most dog bite lawsuits, including wrongful death matters.
If a child is bitten by a dog in Lanham, the statute of limitations can be tolled until their 18th birthday, giving them until age 21 to seek compensation for their dog bite injuries.
You must file your dog bite claim before time runs out. When the statute of limitations expires, you’ll be left without the ability to request help paying for your medical care, offsetting your lost wages, and coping with the trauma of the dog attack.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Lanham Dog Bite Lawyer
Contact Alpert Schreyer Personal Injury Lawyers if you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog in Lanham, MD. You have rights, including the ability to pursue compensation from the dog’s owner. Our Lanham dog bite lawyers can help you demand the life-changing monetary award you deserve.
Make the most of your dog bite lawsuit by putting legal advocates with decades of experience and a multi-million dollar track record of success in your corner.
We provide a free consultation. Call our Lanham law office for assistance today.