What Should I Do if I Have Been Bitten by a Dog?

Dog bite incidents are unpredictable. They happen quickly and usually without warning. If you or somebody you love has been bitten and injured by a dog, there are various steps that you need to take to ensure you receive adequate compensation for what happened.

Minnesota Law Regarding Dog Bites

States across the country handle dog bite cases differently. Many states allow a “one bite” rule, while other states follow a strict liability statute. In Minnesota, we follow a strict liability dog bite law. This means that a dog owner must take responsibility when their dog injures another person, regardless of whether or not the dog has ever been anybody before or whether the dog owner’s negligence led to the bite.

Essentially, the dog bite victim is not required to prove that the dog or its owner did anything wrong. So long as a person sustained an injury due to a dog bite, they did nothing to provoke the dog to bite them, and they were in a location they had the right to be in, the strict liability dog bite law applies.

What to Do If You Get Attacked by a Dog

If you are bitten by a dog in Minnesota, you need to follow these steps:

• Seek medical care. It is critically important that you seek medical care for a dog bite regardless of the severity of the injury. These wounds must be taken care of. Not only does seeking medical care ensure your well-being, but it also establishes a link between the bite and your injuries.
• Talk to the owner. If you can safely do so, find out as much basic information as possible about the dog before you leave the scene. This includes the contact information of the owner as well as whether or not the dog is up to date on their vaccines.
• Follow all orders from the doctor. You need to continue following all orders from your doctor until you have fully healed from your dog bite injury. This includes taking antibiotics to combat an infection or getting a rabies shot if the dog was unvaccinated. Make sure to continue to go to any follow-up appointments.
• Speak to a lawyer specializing in dog bite cases. Even though Minnesota follows a strict liability dog bite law, securing compensation for your injuries may still prove to be difficult. Contact an attorney who specializes in dog bite cases and can help ensure you are fairly compensated.

Get Help from an Experienced Mankato Dog Bite Lawyer

If you or somebody you care about has been bitten and injured by a dog, you may need to seek assistance from a dog bite injury attorney as soon as possible. At Knutson+Casey, our skilled legal team in Minnesota has experience handling these cases, and we understand how to obtain maximum compensation on your behalf. We pledge to investigate what happened, help you get the medical treatment you need, and facilitate payment of any money you are owed. Contact us today for a free legal consultation.