Salt Lake City Dog Bite Lawyer
With Personal Injury Law Offices in Sandy, Utah
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Brad DeBry is not associated or affiliated with Robert J. DeBry & Associates, P.C.
Client Testimonials
Brad is fantastic! So pleased with all the help he has been giving me in such a stressful hard time with my accident. He definitely treats his clients like family and wants what is best for them. Would recommend him to anyone.
Ashley Richey
I contacted Brad a couple of times with some questions regarding our accident and what our rights were. He gave us valuable and helpful suggestions and was so friendly and knowledgeable.
Aimee Ballif
Went above and beyond to not only help me with my case but to reassure me as I was struggling with my anxiety. He was very kind and supportive and wasn't afraid to offer as much help as possible. One of the best you'll meet here and I highly recommend!
Linzie Builds
ABOUT BRAD DEBRY
7 Mistakes That Ruin Personal Injury Cases
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Dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend. This is usually the case, but when dog bites occur, the outcome can be devastating. If you’ve been bitten by a dog as the result of someone’s negligence or carelessness, you deserve to seek compensation.
If you’re reading this, you may have been seriously injured by a dog bite. You may be in pain and still dealing with the recovery process. You may have lost wages because you had to take time off of work. You may be filled with anxiety as you try to locate proof that the dog has been vaccinated for rabies. The trauma of the experience may have left you afraid of all dogs. In addition, you’re probably stressed trying to find someone who can help with a dog bite claim.
We are here to help. Our firm offers free legal consultations. Call our Salt Lake City dog bite lawyer today.
Don’t worry about needing money to pay upfront for answers about your claim. Call us as soon as you can and schedule a free legal consultation.
This page will help you understand your claim, starting with the ways it can be inadvertently damaged. Then, we’ll share a client story to help you get a better picture of what to expect during the claims process. Please read to the end to get as much as possible from the information.
Common Dog Bite Claim Mistakes
Many people don’t realize they are damaging their claim until it’s too late. Familiarizing yourself with the mistakes below can go a long way toward protecting your claim’s value.
Not Going to the Hospital After a Dog Bite
You may not think your dog bite is a big deal at first. Unless you are absolutely sure the dog that bit you was up-to-date with its vaccinations, however, you could be at grave risk.
It’s important to both seek medical care and find out whether the animal has been vaccinated against rabies.
Rabies is a virus transmitted by animal bites and exposure to infected saliva. The virus affects the nerves of the brain. While serious damage can be prevented if the person bitten gets treated right away, rabies is almost always fatal if it goes untreated.
As a result, when in doubt about a dog’s vaccinations, doctors will err on the side of caution and treat for rabies.
Of course, there are additional concerns related to dog bite injuries, such as infection and the various wounds a dog’s teeth can inflict. Safeguard your health and make sure you get medical attention if you’ve been bitten by a dog.
It may seem unlikely a person would skip the doctor’s visit after a dog bite, but it happens. Sometimes, people are embarrassed. They may know the person who owns the dog; it may even be family. Or, the victim believe on some level they are responsible for the dog’s aggression. No matter how embarrassed or hesitant you are to “make a big deal” about a dog bite, put safety first and get to the doctor.
Another reason you may be tempted to skip the exam is that you aren’t sure you’re all that badly injured.
Keep in mind that the body’s defense mechanism during stressful events is to overproduce the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. The result is often a surge of energy and strength, and a reduction in pain.
Let a doctor check you out to ensure you get any treatment you need.
In addition to safeguarding your health, getting examined by a medical professional safeguards a potential dog bite claim. If you skip an exam and later decide to file a claim, you won’t have a dated medical record of your injuries that correlates with the dog bite incident. Without this proof, the insurance company will have a much easier time sidestepping their obligation to compensate you.
Don’t risk your health or help the insurance company devalue your claim. Seek treatment from a medical professional as quickly as possible after a dog bite.
Ignoring Your Doctor’s Treatment Plan
After you’ve been treated and released from in the doctor’s office or emergency room, you’ll be sent home with a treatment plan. This plan may involve a number of things, including medications, occupational therapy, or stretching, just to name a few. It’s critical to your health and your claim to adhere to these instructions.
Dog bite treatment plans often include a course of antibiotics to ward off infection. Dog bites often include puncture wounds, which can be deep and vulnerable to infection. Antibiotics will help protect you, but in most cases can only be counted on if taken according to schedule and to completion. A haphazard approach to taking this medication will, in most cases, negate the benefits it offers.
Following the doctor’s treatment plan also means getting the rest you need. Resuming activities you aren’t yet ready to return to can worsen your condition. It can also ruin a dog bite claim.
For instance, your doctor may instruct you not to submerse your wound in water for a certain period of time. This may include rivers, lakes, swimming pools, hot tubs, and even bathtubs. Even coastal waters can harbor bacteria, so it’s best to ask rather than assume salt water is going to be good for your wound.
In such a case, the doctor will give you instructions on keeping your wound clean by carefully showering.
If you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions, you may get a secondary infection that can make things much worse. In addition, if you decide to go camping and the insurance company sees pictures of you on social media flopping around in a pond when you’re not supposed to submerse your wound, expect them to try and lower the value of your claim.
Don’t give the insurance company a reason not to pay you what you deserve— follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
Agreeing to Give the Insurance Company a Recorded Statement
Many people make the mistake of believing they must speak to the insurance company when they call after your dog bite. Insurance adjusters know this. While they may not actually say you have to speak to them to prevent your claim from being tossed out, they’re not going to correct your mistaken assumptions, either. Whatever the case, getting you on the phone only helps them.
The congenial adjuster is not actually calling “just to check in and clear up all the paperwork so your claim can be processed.” This person is calling in hopes that you’ll say something that can be used to damage the value of your claim.
You are not obligated to take the insurance company’s call. You can refuse to answer, and it’s okay to politely decline to talk and hang up if you’ve accidentally answered their call.
The best way to deal with a call from the insurance company after a dog bite is to ask your Salt Lake City dog bite lawyer to communicate on your behalf.
Not Hiring a Lawyer as Soon as Possible
Some people put off looking for a lawyer after an injury because they’re preoccupied by dealing with their injuries. This is understandable; just make sure you make a plan to find a lawyer as soon as you reasonably can. Letting time drag on without a conscious plan to get a claim started is a mistake.
No matter how long Utah’s statute of limitations allows for you to file a claim, you must remember the sooner you get started, the stronger your claim will be; the state’s deadline is far too long to wait.
Evidence disappears. The dog may even disappear, unfortunately. Even if it isn’t euthanized, it may be shipped off to a farm or re-homed. Imagine bringing a belated claim on someone and finding yourself in the position of having to prove they even had a dog in the first place.
In addition, witnesses may forget details over time, or even change their contact information and “disappear.” Don’t take a chance with your claim, get started so that your Salt Lake City dog bite lawyer has the best chance to gather evidence to support your claim.
Some people hold off on finding a lawyer because they plan on handling their own dog bite claim to save money. If you’re considering this route, it’s important to know that statistically, people who hire lawyers are awarded many times more than those who go it alone. In addition, if negotiations with the insurance company fail, you won’t be able to take them to court.
If you take on your claim without a lawyer, the insurance company will know that all they need to do is refuse to settle and you’ll be left “high and dry.”
Give yourself the best shot at winning your dog bite claim. Hire a lawyer as soon as you’re able.
Hiring the Wrong Salt Lake City Dog Bite Lawyer
We’ve already mentioned why taking on your own claim without the legal leverage a lawyer provides is not the best move. But it’s also important not to assume that any lawyer can take on your case with equal results.
As with the medical field, there are many specializations within the practice of law. These are called practice areas.
If you needed laser surgery to correct your eyesight, you’d probably seek out a doctor who specializes in laser eye surgery and has done hundreds of procedures like the one you want. It’s critical to approach finding a lawyer to fit the needs of your claim the same way. To get the best outcome in your dog bite claim, you’ll want to hire a trial attorney who specializes in personal injury and is experienced with dog bite claims.
Salt Lake City Dog Bite Client Story
The story below is intended to help you get additional answers about your dog bite claim. The names and details have been edited to preserve the privacy of our client, but the value of the content remains. Be sure to read it through to learn as much as possible. When you’re done, give us a call to schedule a free legal consultation. Every claim is unique, and we’d love to talk to you about yours.
On a cool day in March not too long ago, Melissa Langley harnessed up her pug, Burpee, and put him in the car for his first day of school.
Burpee had rescued Melissa six months before and she’d never been the same. They went everywhere together that a dog was permitted to go in Salt Lake City. Burpee was sweet, funny, and smart-ish. The only thing he needed was obedience training, and she’d found just the place.
She’d explained to the instructor that, to put it bluntly, though fixed, Burpee was still “humping” people’s legs. It seemed the happier he got, the more often he would engage in the embarrassing behavior.
The instructor told Melissa that this was not uncommon in pugs, and to remedy the situation, she would need to become the “alpha dog.” She confessed that she was pretty permissive with Burpee. He was such a great dog in every other respect; he even followed her commands well. She just needed to correct this one behavior.
Burpee knew the routine and stood by as Melissa clipped the seatbelt harness around his little flour sack body. As she stood up to lead him to the car, he let out a yodel of joy and — almost jumped on her leg. She managed to sidestep, leading him out the door.
As the students and their dogs gathered in an old airplane hangar for class, Melissa realized “dog obedience” class was actually training for dog owners. The dogs weren’t the issue, the instructor told them with a smile. Pet parents simply needed to learn how to behave to command respect from their “fur babies.”
There were seven other dogs of all shapes, sizes, and breeds, each cute in its own way. As they listened to the instructor, Melissa was grateful that Burpee was so good with other dogs. She’d never had to worry about him getting into a fight.
It seemed the other dogs were equally friendly. She’d had to fill out a detailed questionnaire to enroll Burpee, asking about his personality and behavior toward other dogs. She’d also had to provide proof of vaccinations and get him a Bordetella shot to guard against kennel cough.
Everyone got along and the class went smoothly until they heard a commotion from the front hallway. A petite woman holding the leash of an enormous black dog was yelling at the woman at the front desk.
Their instructor paused, and seeming to recognize the woman and her dog, excused himself to help the beleaguered employee.
The dog was heavily muscled, with black fur so sleek it looked like it was made of ink. Its height was startling, coming up the woman’s waist. Even though Melissa estimated the woman to be no taller than five foot, the dog had to be at least 36 inches at the shoulder. It was impressive, but a little scary. A couple of the students covertly snapped photos of the animal on their phones.
The most intimidating thing about the dog was its eyes. As it swung its formidable head in the direction of the class, Melissa registered two ice-blue irises sweeping over them. It seemed to be sizing them up. She’d seen the look before; predatory. It was standing stock-still, tracking human and dog alike without moving its head.
A shiver ran down Melissa’s spine, and some of the other pet parents shortened their leads, casually backing their dogs further toward the other end of the hangar.
The students caught more snippets of the conversation as the woman’s voice rose.
“…know who you’re dealing with!” The woman screamed. “…have no right! … dog is a champion!”
Keying on its owner’s anger, the dog let out a low growl— the sound of a snow plow scraping bare pavement.
The instructor held up his hands in surrender and took a careful step back toward his students. “Nobody move,” Melissa quietly breathed to her classmates. They responded by tucking themselves and their dogs behind her, leaving Burpee alone at her feet.
Sensing he’d lost Melissa’s attention, Burpee stood on two legs against Melissa’s thigh and let out his best yodel.
At the sound, the black dog tore its leash from his owner’s hand as if she weren’t even there and charged at her pug with incredible speed.
Out of options, Melissa swept an arm around Burpee, pressed him against her stomach and curled around him on the ground with her back to the animal. Her wilderness training kicked in and she hear her father’s words, “protect your neck.”
The dog landed on top of her like a freight train and she felt a fierce bite on her thigh. Fighting the instinct to grab her injured leg, she managed to slip her right hand around the back of her neck while desperately holding on to Burpee with the other. Images flashed through her mind of her dad and the summer they’d gone camping in Wyoming. His lesson on surviving a bear attack. “Protect your neck…”
Melissa woke up in the hospital calling out for her father. Her sister Stacie was by her side; she’d been crying.
“I was dreaming about Daddy,” she told Stacie. “There was a bear.”
Her sister laughed with relief at seeing her awake and wiped her eyes. “Yeah, remember how we used to call Daddy, ‘Grizzly Adams’?”
Melissa learned she’d had in surgery to repair the damage from the dog attack. Stacie said she was very, very lucky. “One of the students in your class apparently carries a taser,” she said.
“Burpee! Where is Burpee?” Melissa asked, suddenly panicked.
“He’s fine; he’s with Troy, getting spoiled rotten.”
Relieved that her boyfriend had picked up her dog, Melissa slumped back against the pillow. Pain lanced down the right side of her face.
“My head hurts,” she said, reaching up to touch the right side of her bandaged head. She discovered her right hand was bandaged, as well. That’s when Stacie told her that after biting her in the leg, the dog had gone straight for her neck. It gouged a couple of furrows into her scalp and took the top of her right ear before it finally found her hand.
Looking at the bandage, she took a deep breath and asked her sister how bad the damage was. A tear streaked down Stacie’s cheek as she answered. “Your middle finger and ring finger are gone. There may be nerve damage; it’s too soon to tell.”
Melissa was released from the hospital ten days later and called us to schedule a free legal consultation. She said she needed to know how much it would cost to hire us, what her claim might be worth, and how long it would take.
The next day, Melissa and Troy arrived at our office. At our request, they also brought Burpee. The little dog was an irrepressible ball of happy, setting off peals of laughter among the staff as he bounced through the rooms yodeling.
How much will it cost to hire a lawyer for my dog bite claim?
As soon as Melissa settled Burpee in her lap, she asked, “How much would it cost to retain your firm?”
We told her there would be no upfront charge. “We work on a contingency fee basis, Melissa. Our firm covers all the expenses to investigate and if necessary, to litigate claims. We are compensated only if we are able to bring your case to a successful resolution.”
“Well, that’s good news,” Melissa said, holding up her bandaged hand. “I’m a pianist,” she said sadly. “With these injuries, it looks like I’ll be looking for a new profession.”
How much is my dog bite claim worth?
“How much is a claim like mine worth?” She asked next.
We explained that it’s not really possible to accurately estimate the value of a claim upfront. The truth is, there are no “one-size-fits-all” claims.
“The first thing we need to do is conduct an accident investigation. We’ll gather evidence and speak to witnesses,” our lawyer told her.
“At least I can give you witnesses,” Melissa replied. “My sister told me one person even got the entire attack on video. I guess she was filming the big dog to show her friends when it charged. She was too scared to move and apparently and forgot to stop recording. She let the instructor know I could call her if I needed that video.”
“That’s very helpful. We’ll locate the witnesses from your class and get hold of that video as soon as possible. You were smart to get started on a claim right away. We prepare every case from the start as if it were going to court. The more evidence, the stronger the case.
“The second thing we’ll need to determine the value of your claim is clarity on your economic and non-economic damages. To get this, we need you to reach maximum medical improvement. This means we need you to recovering to your former level of health.
“If that’s no longer an option, then you’ll need to get as close to that as possible. It will mean you’re through with surgeries and we understand what any future care of your injuries may require.
“We’ll need you to put all your energy into your recovery and follow your treatment plan carefully. We’ll get your claim started and take care of everything associated with it.
“When you reach maximum medical improvement, we’ll know your damages and can tell you what your claim is worth.”
How long will my dog bite claim take?
“How long is Melissa’s case likely to take?” Troy asked as Burpee lap-hopped over to him.
“Case timeline is also not something we can accurately predict at the very outset. It’s going to depend first on how long it takes you to reach maximum medical improvement, Melissa. Once you’re there, we’ll know your damages and will send a demand letter to the insurance companies.
“In a case like yours, we may be dealing with two: the dog owner and the obedience school for not having better safeguards in place to protect its students from situations like this.
“If the insurance companies agree to our demand for compensation, we can wrap up your claim quickly. If they don’t, we’ll take them to court,” said the lawyer.
“But remember, all you have to focus on, Melissa, is your recovery. Most claims are settled via negotiation. And sometimes even stubborn insurance companies come around to a fair settlement when faced with the possibility of hashing out a claim in front of a jury.
“We have a long record of winning personal injury claims, including dog bite cases, both in court and via negotiation. The insurance companies around here know that and aren’t likely to be eager to push your case into court.
“Either way, we’ll be up to the task. That’s why even if you go with another attorney for your dog bite claim, we recommend you hire a personal injury trial lawyer with experience in dog bite cases.”
Melissa was content with the information she received during her consultation. She retained our firm, and we’re happy to share that we got her nine times the amount the insurance companies initially offered.
Call Our Salt Lake City Dog Bite Lawyer Today
We hope you’ve found the information above helpful. Keep in mind that no two cases are exactly alike, so give us a call to talk about your specific claim in a free legal consultation. Don’t let feeling overwhelmed keep you from getting full and fair compensation for your dog bite. Call us today.
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