Indiana Dog Bite Injury Lawyers

Anyone who has been bitten by a dog will tell you that the pain can be absolutely excruciating. One former client compared the sensation to that of a bolt of electricity traveling through their body. And while we often think of larger dogs as most dangerous, the truth is that any sized dog can inflict pain and permanent damage to an unsuspecting adult or child.

If you were bitten by a dog, Boulton Law Group wants to hear your story. Led by personal injury attorney Matt Boulton, our firm has years of experience with these cases here in Brownsburg, Avon and throughout Indiana.

Indiana Dog Bite Laws And Your Rights

In Indiana, dogs and other animals are considered the owner’s personal property.
Some believe that Indiana law takes a lenient approach toward dog bites. The law is sometimes incorrectly interpreted to mean that a dog gets “one free bite” before the owner can be held responsible. This is incorrect!

Actually, Indiana law, in general, does not view dogs as a threat to people. However, a dog owner can be held responsible for a dog bite victim’s injuries if they knew or had reason to believe the animal may bite or display aggressive behavior, or if the owner failed to use reasonable care.

The breed of a dog, as well as its past behavior, are both important factors in determining the resposable.

Common Dog Bite Injuries

Attorney Boulton has successfully handled a large variety of dog bite injury cases, including those involving children, adults and the elderly. The range of injuries includes bites that resulted in an ER visit and at-home follow-up care to a life-threatening mauling that required long-term care and ongoing reconstructive plastic surgery.

We have witnessed patterns emerge throughout our years of handling these cases. The most common injury types have included:

• Facial and head lacerations, often involving the lips, nose and cheek area
• Lacerations to the hands, arms, ankles, legs, neck, and throat
• Rabies
• Infection
• Eye injuries
• Permanent scarring

Why You Need A Lawyer On Your Side

An experienced lawyer is critical to the proper handling of your dog bite case for several reasons; however, none are more important than the following:

Insurance companies: Because these cases are covered by homeowner’s policies, the amount of money available often exceeds what is available to car accident victims.

With this in mind, the insurance company will do whatever it can to limit their exposure. This means they will want you to give recorded statements, sign documents, send them pictures of your injuries and perhaps visit with you. Do not give permission or follow through with any of these items. Choosing to cooperate with them can cost you your entire claim.

Future care: Many of the dog bite injuries we have encountered require long-term care and potentially plastic surgery. (In fact, children who suffer serious injuries may require corrective surgery well into their teens, as a doctor will want them to fully develop before he or she can best assess how to correct the scarred areas.) A lawyer like attorney Boulton will ensure that you do not feel rushed to settle before we know the full extent of your injuries.

Case strategy: The liability in these cases is almost always hotly contested, and that is because there will be general speculation about what caused the animal to bite. The insurance company and the dog’s owner may suggest that the victim did something to scare the animal or was agitating it. A skilled lawyer will know how to refute these claims.

Our first step will be to attempt to re-create the events leading up to the bite, and investigate the animal’s history to confirm if it has or has not been involved in a prior incident.

The importance of having an experienced Brownsburg dog bite injury lawyer will be critical to the outcome of your case.

Talk To An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Boulton Law Group, LLC, wants to hear your story. We want to make a difference for you during a difficult time. Quite simply, being able to help people is the reason we do this type of work.

We do not charge for consultations.

Have a single question about your dog bite case? Just give us a call and attorney Boulton will give you guidance. You will never be charged to hire us or have to pay anything while your case is ongoing.

You can reach attorney Boulton by dialing 317-350-2680, or you can write to us with the details of your story by using our free contact form.