If you’ve ever been bitten by a dog, you know how painful of an experience that can be, let alone traumatic. But did you know you could be entitled to compensation? In the state of Utah, there are laws designed to address dog bites and victim compensation for injuries. If you recently sustained injuries from a dog bite and would like to seek compensation, but don’t know where to begin, contact Truman & Radford in St. George, Utah. Our team of personal injury attorneys can help explain your rights so you can get fair compensation.Dog Bites and LiabilityIn St. George, Utah, liability always falls on the dog owner because they are responsible for their dog’s actions. In fact, Utah operates under the ‘strict liability' mantra in regard to dog bites. This means the dog owner is automatically responsible for any medical bills a victim may incur. Because of this, you should never hesitate to call a Truman & Radford personal injury attorney when you’re bitten by a dog. Our team can review your case and help communicate with the necessary insurance companies.Determining liability is also important because dog bite victims often experience emotional damage, including anxiety and fear in the presence of dogs. Knowing who the responsible person is makes it easier for victims to file insurance claims that can be used to help them get the help they need to manage whatever emotional issues result from the dog bite.Homeowner Insurance and Personal Injury ClaimsFortunately for dog owners, personal injury attorneys can file claims on home insurance policies. This is good news for homeowners because it often means they will not have to pay out of pocket. Instead, their homeowner's insurance company will cover it, assuming the dog owner has a home insurance policy. If it is not possible to reach a settlement this way, the dog bite victim can file a lawsuit for damages.

Dog bite on arm; image by Nicor, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, no changes.

Regardless of whether you choose to file a lawsuit or opt to work with the dog owner to file a claim through their home insurance company, there are a few things you should do right after the incident. For starters, collect and/or record any details of what transpired. Take a picture of your injuries, try to get the contact information of the dog owner and a picture of the dog. Find out if the dog has a history of aggressive behavior and save documentation from any doctor’s appointments and medical procedures you may have to endure due to the dog bite injury. The more detail and information you have on hand, the easier it will be to file an insurance claim or lawsuit so you can win damages to cover medical bills, therapy, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, and any other costs you may incur while tending to your injury.If you’re ever bitten by a dog, take the guesswork out of filing a claim and contact one of the experienced personal injury attorneys at Truman & Radford for a consultation.