Have you, your child, or a loved one been bitten by a dog in Atlanta, Georgia? If so, call Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers. You may have the right to sue the dog’s owner and other parties for any damages you’ve suffered, including medical bills, lost wages, and anguish. Our experienced Atlanta dog bite lawyers can help you fight for the best possible results.
Since 2015, Hammers Law Firm has been trusted by accident victims and families in Atlanta. Our team of award-winning Georgia trial attorneys has over 50 years of collective experience. Determined, resourceful litigation strategies have helped us win tens of millions of dollars on behalf of deserving clients like you.
We also handle all types of personal injury practice areas, such as medical malpractice in Atlanta, truck accidents, Atlanta car accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, and more.
We’re here to help you get justice and get your life back on track. Don’t hesitate to contact our law office in Atlanta, GA, at (770) 900 9000 to learn more. Your initial case evaluation is free.
How Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After You’re Bitten by a Dog in Atlanta, GA
Is the dog’s owner responsible for your injuries? Can anyone else be held accountable? What will you have to prove to win your dog bite claim? How should you handle allegations that you provoked the animal or caused the attack? What’s a fair settlement offer?
You’ve got enough to think about without the added stress of a dog bite lawsuit. Fortunately, you can give yourself time to recover and put your case in experienced hands by calling Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for help.
Our Atlanta personal injury lawyers have been recognized as top Georgia litigators by Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, and other notable legal organizations. We’ve worked both for and against insurance companies, which gives our clients a distinct advantage when they’re up against these powerful corporations.
Turn to us for help with your dog bite claim, and we will:
- Conduct a timely investigation into your dog bite incident
- Determine who’s liable for your resulting injuries and trauma
- Gather evidence to build a strong legal claim for damages, including vet records, police reports, photographs, medical records, and witness statements
- Enlist experts to offer insight and guidance as we build your case
- Calculate what your dog bite injury claim is likely worth
- Make sure your claim complies with procedures and laws established by the State of Georgia
- Pursue a substantial settlement offer during negotiations with the defense
- Have a respected Georgia trial attorney bring your dog bite lawsuit to court in Fulton County, if necessary
Get the personalized legal representation you deserve by choosing our personal injury law firm to help you after your dog attack. We work on a contingency fee basis, so there’s no cost to you unless we win compensation for your dog bite claim.
Reach out to our Atlanta, GA, law office today to arrange a time for your free case evaluation.
Georgia Dog Bite Statistics
An estimated 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs every year. Roughly 17 percent of dog bite victims seek emergency medical care due to the severity of their injuries.
More than half of all dog bite victims are children, usually between the ages of 5 and 9.
State Farm and other insurance companies process thousands of dog bite injury claims annually. In 2022, Georgia ranked 9th in the nation for dog bite claims. That year, State Farm paid out $3.3 million to settle 108 dog bite cases.
Does Georgia Have a One Bite Rule?
Some states operate under a traditional “one bite” rule. In these states, a dog’s owner is not automatically liable for injuries when their dog bites another person. Rather, the first bite is free, regardless of the owner’s knowledge of the dog’s vicious propensities.
Georgia does not have a traditional one bite rule. Instead, the state has adopted a modified version of the law.
In Georgia, a dog’s owner can be strictly liable for a dog bite if the owner knew (or should have known) that the animal was vicious or dangerous and was careless in the management of the dog.
A dog is considered dangerous when it:
- Inflicts severe injury on a person without provocation, or
- “Aggressively bites, attacks, or endangers the safety of humans without provocation” after it has been classified as a dangerous dog.
Careless management can be as simple as allowing a dog to wander around a neighborhood or violating Atlanta’s leash laws.
Dog owners can also be liable if their negligence contributes to a dog’s bite, even if they have no knowledge of the dog’s dangerous propensities.
Who Could Be Liable for My Atlanta Dog Bite Injuries?
In Georgia, the phrase “owner” includes anyone who is responsible for the animal. This could be the person who legally owns the dog, as well as anyone who assumes responsibility for caring for the dog – such as a dog walker, doggie daycare center, or even a veterinarian.
Dog bite cases can also be a matter of premises liability. If you’re bitten by a dog on someone else’s property, the owner of the premises could potentially be responsible for your injuries, too.
This could include a:
- Landlord
- Hotel
- Restaurant
- Government agency
- Store
- Apartment complex
- Nursing home
When you’ve been bitten by a dog, our legal team in Atlanta will thoroughly evaluate your case and work to identify everyone who might be liable for your resulting damages. Once liability is clear, we’ll actively work to hold them fully accountable for the harm you’ve suffered.
What Compensation Can I Recover Through a Civil Dog Bite Claim?
Dog bites can be costly and traumatic. Fortunately, Georgia gives dog bite victims the opportunity to seek compensatory damages from the dog’s owner, an insurance company, or another liable party.
Compensatory damages include economic and non-economic awards for:
- Current medical costs related to surgery, hospitalization, medication, prosthetics, and necessary medical care
- Future medical expenses related to therapy, rehabilitation, and follow-up treatment
- Lost income and wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Disability
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Nursing assistance
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Chronic physical pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Embarrassment
The dog’s owner will not hesitate to downplay your injuries and argue that the dog bite hasn’t really had much of an impact on your life. Our law firm will not allow these tactics to go unchallenged, nor will we allow them to influence how much your case is valued to be worth.
Working with experts in animal behavior, medicine, psychology, and other specialties, our dog bite attorneys in Atlanta will carefully construct a claim that proves your losses and sets you up for the financial recovery you deserve.
How Much Is My Atlanta Dog Bite Case Worth?
It depends. Every dog bite victim will have a unique experience. What sets your story apart will be what influences how much money you might be able to get through a civil dog bite claim.
- What types of physical injuries have you suffered?
- What part of your body was injured?
- Have your injuries changed your ability to work or generate an income?
- How old are you?
- What is your life expectancy?
- What insurance benefits are available to you?
- What are the policy limits?
- How has being bitten by a dog changed your quality of life?
The more of an impact the dog bite has on your life, the more you can typically expect to obtain from the dog’s owner or another liable party.
Our Atlanta dog bite attorneys will help you seek maximum compensation for your injuries, suffering, and losses. Contact us to discuss your dog bite claim today.
Dogs Can Inflict Severe, Debilitating Injuries
Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers will help you pursue compensation for all of your dog bite injuries, including:
- Broken bones
- Puncture wounds
- Cuts and lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Infections
- Spinal cord injury
- Amputation
- Brain injury
- Eye injury
- Catastrophic injury
- Nerve damage
- Crushing injury
- Wrongful death of someone you love
Report your dog bite immediately, seek prompt medical treatment, and then call our Atlanta personal injury law firm to discuss your legal rights and options.
How Long Will I Have To File a Dog Bite Lawsuit in Georgia?
Georgia gives dog bite victims and families two years to pursue damages through an insurance claim or lawsuit.
You have to file your claim within this two-year statute of limitations if you want to get compensation from the dog’s owner or another responsible party. Once the statute of limitations expires, you lose the ability to get the justice you deserve.
There are exceptions to this time limit; however, only in rare cases. Get in touch with our personal injury lawyers as promptly as possible for legal help.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Atlanta Dog Bite Lawyer
Call Hammers Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers if you or a close family member have been recently bitten by a dog in Atlanta, Georgia. Our award-winning legal team can help you take a stand and get your life back on track.
Choosing our Atlanta dog bite lawyers means getting 50+ years of combined experience and top-rated Georgia litigators in your corner. We’ve helped clients win tens of millions in damages. Now, we’re here to fight for you.
Schedule your free consultation by calling our Atlanta, GA, law office now.
Our personal injury law firm in Atlanta, GA also provides:
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- Dog Bite Accident Lawyers in Atlanta, GA
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- Truck Accident Attorneys in Atlanta, GA
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