Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bite injuries can leave both physical and psychological scars on a victim, especially if the victim is a child. While there are many responsible dog owners across the State of Virginia, far too many fail to properly contain or train their pets. This type of negligence can lead to dog bites and attacks, with resulting injuries ranging from small puncture wounds to extensive lacerations, or injuries that require surgical attention. Whether you were a jogger, delivery driver, pedestrian, or child, you may be able to file a compensation claim for physical and emotional injuries after a dog bite.
As experienced personal injury lawyers, the Cannella & O’Neal dog bite attorneys are here to make things right after you or a loved one suffered from a dog bite or attack. With years of experience in representing clients and their families who fell victim to dog attacks, our team knows the ins and outs of Virginia’s dog bite and leash laws, so we can get you compensation for damages spanning medical bills and emotional distress to disfigurement and plastic surgery.
Dog Bite — Building Your Case
The moment you or a loved one is bit by a dog, the clock starts ticking to build the strongest case possible to receive compensation for your injuries. While a dog bite can cause panic and stress, it is important to remember to follow these four steps following the incident:
- Seek medical attention for your injuries to protect yourself from an infection or rabies.
- Report the incident to the police or your local animal control agency.
- Take photos of all of your injuries from the attack.
- Contact a dog bite lawyer to start building your case.
Many of those who experience a dog bite blame the dog owner right away. However, the state of Virginia follows the “One Bite” law, where the owner of the dog who bites another human can only be held responsible if it can be proven that the owner knew the dog was aggressive and did not take the necessary measures to prevent the attack. If it cannot be proven that the owner was aware that the dog was aggressive, the owner may still be held accountable if they were not following Virginia’s leash laws at the time of the incident. Because of a dog bite case’s complicated nature, it’s important to reach out to an experienced dog bite attorney to help you with your case.
Cannella and O’Neal — Your Guide
At Cannella & O’Neal, we know no two dog bite cases are the same, so we start from scratch with each case to fully research and investigate the incident, from gathering photos and interviewing witnesses to representing each client in court, if it comes to that. With Cannella & O’Neal on your side, you can rest assured that we have both the dog bite case experience and strong understanding of Virginia’s dog bite and leash laws to get you compensation for damages including the following:
- Past and future medical and hospital bills
- Loss of income
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Plastic surgery
- And more
If you or a loved one is a victim of a dog bite or attack, contact the dog bite lawyers at Cannella & O’Neal immediately so we can start working on your personal injury case. To cater to our potential clients, we are available day or night, 7 days a week at our Personal Injury Hotline at (800) 843-4090. You can also choose to fill out our injury intake form for a prompt response from our team.
WE WILL COME TO YOU
Our attorneys service a wide range of areas throughout the State of Virginia, including:
- Richmond
- Henrico
- Chesterfield
- Fredericksburg
- Petersburg
- Halifax
- Portsmouth
- Fairfax
- Caroline County
- Tappahannock
- Buckingham County
- Lynchburg