A dog attack can leave you shocked and grappling with serious injuries. Wisconsin imposes strict liability on dog owners for such incidents, and if a dog has attacked people or other animals in the past, the dog’s owner must pay twice the damages. Despite the animal attack law, victims don’t always get compensated for their injuries. In this post, we are sharing the seven things you must do after a dog bite attack in Wisconsin.
- Get to a safer place: Aggressive dogs may attack again, and it is always best to get to a safe place to avoid further bites. You can look around for the owner or dog sitter to get the animal on the leash. Remember that dog handlers and sitters could be potential parties to your injury claim.
- Seek medical care: If your injury is serious, call 911 or just see a healthcare professional at the earliest. Dog bites can lead to infections and other complications. Also, if you want to recover damages from the dog owner, you will need records of your treatment and medical bills you have paid.
- Take pictures: If it is safe, check whether you can take pictures of the dog, its tag, and your injuries. Consider capturing the surroundings, including the site of the accident. The evidence can be immensely resourceful for your attorney to validate the claim.
- Gather relevant info: Write down everything you remember about the dog. Did it look aggressive? Was the dog clean and cared for? Did it look hungry? Was the animal on the leash? If you can find the dog owner’s contact details, note everything in a diary.
- Check for witnesses: Were people around when the accident happened? If yes, you can contact these witnesses later for testimonies. Consider taking the contact details, including addresses and phone numbers.
- Report the attack: You should inform the local law enforcement and report the incident to the animal control agencies. They will launch an investigation and take necessary action. You can also use the report as evidence for your case.
- Call an attorney: You need a local dog bite lawyer who can gather details and build your claim. If there is no room to recover compensation through the dog owner’s insurance, they can initiate a lawsuit and take the matter to court.
You have three years to file a lawsuit against the owner following a dog attack in Wisconsin.
