Man’s best friend is a common phrase used to describe dogs because they are the animals with which man has built the closest relationship over thousands of years compared to all other animals. These are friendly animals, who love man and protect him. Many dogs died for their owners. For all these reasons, and especially since the middle of the 19th century when the rabies vaccine was discovered, a large number of people have dogs as pets. And that’s great, because they make life better.
But there is also something that can potentially happen, and that is that a dog bites a human for some reason. This does not happen very often, but it is also not uncommon. That is happing more often especially since people start buying more aggressive breeds of dogs, which are more likely to bite humans. If you go to different houses every day for work, you will often meet their dogs. In most cases, they will be in a cage or they are not aggressive at all and you will not have any problems. But a very unpleasant thing can happen, and that is to be bitten. In the rest of the text, read things to do if you were bitten by a dog while working to know what steps to take.
1. Calm down
The first thing you need to do after an attack by a dog you have just experienced is to calm down. It is a very stressful event and it is possible that for the first few minutes you will be in a complete state of shock, without the ability to think clearly. However, try to calm down as soon as possible and rationalize your thoughts so that you can do other necessary things. Drink some water and eat something sweet, it will help. Of course we say all this if you do not need urgent medical attention and if you do, make someone call 911. After a few minutes, when you have calmed down, it is time for first aid.
2. First aid
Again, if you are not seriously injured and do not need urgent medical attention, you should do a few things as part of first aid, before going to the doctor. There are six different dog bite classifications and if your injury can be classified in the first three, then you should continue with first aid. If it belongs to the more serious ones, then go to the doctor immediately. You first have to wash the wound and surrounding area. If there is a bleeding, stop it or slow it down with a cotton cloth. Use three percent hydrogen to disinfect the wound itself, and disinfect around the wound with alcohol. Wrap it all in a sterile bandage and then go to the doctor.
3. Don’t forget to take contact
Before you go to the doctor, you have to do one more thing. Although a bite while working usually differs in that when a dog bites you on the street because you know where the owner lives, it is still necessary to write down full name and phone number. This is important for two reasons. First, the doctor will be able to check if the dog has been regularly vaccinated and everything else, and then so that you can contact him for insurance. Also, if there are witnesses, don’t forget to take their contact as well, this can be very important if there is a lawsuit. Something called pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular, so make sure is the dog who bite you is insured. If so, that’s very good for you. However, since everything took place on private property, it is more important to check insurance of the home owner.
4. A visit to the doctor
Many make a big mistake when they see that they are not seriously injured and go home instead of to the doctor. If you do, you significantly reduce your chances of receiving compensation, even if there are witnesses. Insurance may dispute that the injuries were caused by a dog bite and your chances of winning the case will be slim. So go straight to the doctor who will make a detailed medical report, which will be your most important piece of evidence. Describe the whole incident to him, so that he can better examine you and write a realistic report. If you fell during the accident, tell him that. You may also have injuries to another body, such as a concussion, and this will also be taken into account, although it is not a direct consequence of the bite, but it is circumstantial.
5. Report the accident
This is something you need to report to the police, just like any other accident. This will also be very important evidence, the most important after the doctor’s report. The police or animal control agency will conduct a complete investigation and also write a report that will be very useful to you later. This is important not only because of your case, but also so that someone else would not be hurt because it may be an overly aggressive dog that needs to be taken away from the owner.
It is not uncommon for a dog owner to ask you not to report to the police that his dog bite you, and that he will pay for whatever is needed. While this may seem like a simpler solution to you and you feel sorry for the owner, still don’t do it. You always have to report it to the police, because it may be an irresponsible owner for whom this is not the first such case. If really everything is just a consequence of misfortune, then neither the owner nor the dog will bear the consequences so you should not feel sorry for them.
6. Contact a lawyer
If you have never dealt with insurance, you may think that everything will go its own way and that you do not need a lawyer. However, you will make a big mistake if you do not hire a lawyer. Insurance will always offer a smaller amount as a settlement if you represent yourself than if you have a lawyer. They know that you have no experience and also that you will not file a lawsuit if you do not have a lawyer. But if you have a lawyer, then the situation changes completely, of course in your favor. You should always hire lawyer whose specialty is cases like yours, so in this case you need dog bite lawyer. On the internet, you can read more about what kind of service he can provide you with.
Conclusion:
Do your best to handle this stressful event and do everything you can to preserve your health and get compensation. Also, be careful when approaching unfamiliar dogs, especially in their territory.
