Dogs are loyal and caring pets that give invaluable companionship to most people. That is not to say that dogs aren’t dangerous, mainly when provoked or improperly trained. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4.5 million people are attacked by dogs in the United States each year, with more than 800,000 receiving medical care for dog bites. At least half of those who have been bitten are children.
Suppose a dog has bitten you while on another person’s property, on the road, or while strolling through a neighborhood. In that case, you need to file a dog bite lawsuit and seek compensation for your injuries and losses.
A dog bite victim may seek both economic and non-economic compensation. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, mental anxiety, or emotional distress caused by the incident, while economic damages are monetary losses related to the injury.
What non-economic damages are you entitled to after a dog bite?
Dog bite victims suffer more than just financial losses after being bitten by a dog. Non-economic losses, on the other hand, may be even more severe. Non-economic damages are not monetary. These include all the non-monetary ways your dog bite injuries have impacted your life.
Here are examples of non-economic damages you can recover after a dog bite injury.
Pain and suffering
When a significant injury happens, it causes great pain and suffering, which are among the damages you may be entitled to seek in a dog bite case. Proving pain and suffering are difficult since the misery caused after a dog bite cannot be quantified. The best approach is to get a report from a therapist or psychiatrist outlining the victim’s mental condition before and after the assault.
A professional legal attorney can assist you in obtaining a substantial sum of money. You may also keep a journal to record your emotions and any physical suffering you’ve experienced. When seeking compensation, this technique might help you give proof of the emotional suffering caused by the assault.
Friends and family members may also testify about the victim’s emotional condition before and after the incident.
Loss of consortium
There have been cases when a dog attack has resulted in fatal injuries. Surviving family members of a tragically slain victim may be entitled to “loss of consortium” compensation.
For example, a child might sue for losing a parent’s company, love, and care. A spouse might sue for loss of consortium for the inability to conceive children or for the loss of affection and support.
Scarring and disfigurement
A dog’s teeth are razor sharp and can be severely disfiguring and scarring to an assault victim for life. As a consequence, the victim may feel ashamed and depressed to show up to the public.
The sum granted in this instance is determined by the scar’s location, size, form, and visibility when exposed to public view.
Emotional distress
Any of the above losses may, of course, cause significant mental distress. You may not be able to participate in the activities you like. You can be so terrified that you can’t even stroll through your neighborhood. This kind of occurrence may be very upsetting for a variety of reasons.
An attorney might argue that you are entitled to compensation for your emotional trauma, even bringing in a mental health specialist to determine how much compensation you should get.
Punitive damages
When you file a dog bite lawsuit, the court may award you punitive damages. While many assume that punitive damages are often given, this is not true. Only when the culpable party’s acts are extreme or despicable can the court impose punitive damages.
Punitive damages are the judicial system’s technique of punishing the responsible party. They want to convey a message that these activities will not be tolerated.
But, there are limits to how much punitive damages you may be granted. The court might give you up to $250,000 in punitive damages under the statute.
These are some of the losses you can recover. To know more, speak with a lawyer.