Can I Get Compensation for a Dog Bite?

angry dog barkingA dog bite can cause serious physical and emotional injuries that may require extensive medical care and missed time at work. More severe injuries can also have lasting effects that significantly impact your life.

Because of this, those who have been bitten by a dog have the right to seek compensation for their injuries and suffering. Under the Ontario Dog Owner’s Liability Act, the dog’s owner can be held liable for all damages resulting from the person’s dog.

Because most dog bites are covered by the dog owner’s homeowners’ insurance, the injury victim will first need to file a claim with the insurance company.

However, because insurance companies can be difficult to work with, it is in your best interest to work with an experienced Windsor dog bite lawyer. Our accomplished team can help you fight for the compensation you deserve and will file a personal injury lawsuit seeking additional compensation if the insurance company refuses to cooperate.

Types of Available Compensation

Although it is impossible to identify the true value of your claim and the compensation you could receive without reviewing the details of your injury, dog bite victims may be able to recover a variety of types of compensation.

Like most personal injury lawsuits, dog bite victims may be able to recover:

Current and Future Medical Expenses

The severity of your injuries and the medical care they require will be a significant determining factor in the amount of compensation you are able to recover after a dog bite.

This is because compensation attempts to make the injury victim whole again by repaying expenses related to the injury. Medical expenses are often a significant expense injury victims experience.

It may be possible to recover compensation for past medical expenses, as well as any anticipated medical expenses that you could incur in the future. This can include payment for:

  • Emergency room visit
  • Rides in an ambulance
  • Doctors’ visits
  • Surgery
  • Medication
  • Medical equipment
  • Medical tests like x-rays and MRIs

In order to recover this type of compensation, it will be important that you keep all records and receipts of all medical care you have received. We can help you gather your medical records from your doctors.

Lost Wages

Often, serious injuries may require the injury victim to miss time from work. In many cases, it is possible to recover compensation from any time you miss at work due to your injuries.

If your injuries prevent you from being able to do the same work you did previously or any other type of work, you may also be entitled to compensation that you will lose from no longer being able to work or bring in the same income.

Our lawyers will work with you and your employer to determine the amount of time you have missed and will miss in the future and the wages you may be entitled to.

Pain and Suffering

Serious injuries from a dog bite may cause you to experience pain and suffering that can last into the future. This can include the physical discomfort and pain you experience because of your injuries or the mental anguish you experience because of the injury or the incident.

This trauma can have lasting effects. For this reason, it may be possible to recover compensation for the pain and suffering your injuries and the dog bite have caused.

However, this type of compensation is difficult to quantify. You should keep detailed records about the pain and discomfort you feel and how your injuries affect your life.

Emotional Distress

Dog bites can be traumatic events that can lead to emotional distress. Although the incident may have only lasted a few minutes, a traumatized individual may relive the incident every day for the rest of his or her life.

This can lead to:

  • Flashbacks of the event
  • Nightmares
  • Disruption of sleep
  • Avoiding reminders of the event
  • Fear of animals

If this information is well-documented and has a significant effect on your life, it may be possible to obtain compensation for the emotional distress resulting from a dog bite.

Disfigurement

A dog’s sharp teeth and claws can cause devastating lacerations and damage to an individual. If you have suffered severe scarring or disfigurement from your injuries, it may be possible to obtain compensation for this.

Disability

If your injuries have rendered you disabled, it may be possible to obtain additional compensation. This is especially true if your disability prevents you from working or being able to do the daily activities you once could. If you now require assistance with day-to-day activities, you may be entitled to additional compensation to help pay for this assistance.

Could My Compensation be Limited?

According to R.S.O. 1990, c. D.16, s. 2 (4), an individual’s compensation can be reduced in proportion to the degree to which the individual’s negligence caused or contributed to the incident.

If it is determined that your actions were 20 percent responsible for causing or contributing to your injuries, your compensation will be reduced by 20 percent. If your claim was valued at $10,000, you would only be able to recover $8,000.

Get Help from a Trusted Windsor Dog Bite Lawyer

Determining the value of your dog bite claim and the compensation you should receive can be complicated. It is in your best interest to hire a trusted Windsor dog bite lawyer who can review the details of your injuries and determine the compensation you deserve.

Our lawyers are well-versed in Ontario’s personal injury laws and will help you gather the evidence needed to support your claim. We will work tirelessly to help you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve.

Contact Greg Monforton & Partners today for a free, no obligation consultation. We work on contingency and do not charge legal fees unless we obtain compensation for you.

Call (866) 320-4770 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form.