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What Should You Do If Someone Else's Dog Bites You in a Dog Park?

When you go to the dog park with your dog, you expect to have a fun and relaxing experience in the company of other animals. So when someone else's dog bites you, that experience is definitely ruined! Sadly, most people do not know what to do in such a situation. Here are the basic steps you should take to ensure you receive the proper treatment, as well as compensation for your injuries if you believe them to be due to someone else's negligence.

Step 1: Get information from the dog's owner.

Find out who owns the dog, and take down their phone number, address, and the dog's name. If you are too injured to do this yourself, ask if someone else in the dog park can help you. Most people hate to see someone else injured and will be happy to help you out if you ask. They can even type the information into their own phone and text it to you for the sake of convenience.

Step 2: See the doctor.

Even if the bite is minor, you need to seek medical care. Dog bites can spread rabies, along with other serious infections like staph. The doctor will ensure the wound is cleaned out properly so you do not get an infection. They will also confer with the local health department and animal control office to ensure the dog has been vaccinated for rabies. If the dog has not been vaccinated for rabies, you may need to get a rabies vaccine to ensure you do not contract this dangerous virus.

Step 3: Contact a lawyer.

Just because you were bitten in a dog park does not automatically mean you have a lawsuit on your hands. In some dog parks, by entering, you are assuming the risk of any injuries that might occur. In some cases, your actions may be determined to be the "cause" of the bite—even if those actions were seemingly innocent, such as reaching towards the dog to pet it.

There are many situations, however, in which either the dog park or the dog's owners can be named liable for your injuries. The dog park may be deemed responsible if they have not been taking action to exclude aggressive dogs from the park, or if they have been failing to check that dogs are vaccinated for rabies before they enter. The owner may be named liable if their dog has bitten previously but they still brought it to the dog park, or if they knowingly violated dog park rules by bringing a dog of a certain banned breed into the park. (For instance, if the park prohibits German Shepherds and you were bitten by one, the owner may be at fault.)

The best way to determine whether or not you have a strong case against the dog owner or dog park is to meet with a lawyer. They'll review the details surrounding your bite and tell you whether it's worth pursuing a case. If you are able to sue either the park or the dog's owner, you can ask for money to pay for all of your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering related to the bite.

Dog bite cases can be complicated, and they can take a long time to navigate. If your injury is minor and you did not have to miss any work because of it, filing a lawsuit is probably not worth the hassle. Still, you should follow steps one and two to ensure your own safety and leave the option of a lawsuit open if you develop more serious complications later on. Contact a law firm like Deliso & Associates for more information.