Dog Bite Attorney in Alabama

Were you bitten by someone else’s dog? If so, the dog’s owner might owe you compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more. Let an experienced Alabama dog bite lawyer with Collins Law, LLC pursue your claim on your behalf while you focus on resting and getting better.

Attorney April H. Collins and her team are here to stand up for you and handle every aspect of your dog bite claim so you can rest easier. For more than 10 years, our law firm has offered compassionate legal representation to accident victims who feel they have no voice. We strive to empower you to get the money you need to take back your life.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation about your case, and find out what an Alabama dog bite attorney can do for you.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Alabama Dog Bite Attorney?

Even under the best of circumstances, a dog bite claim can be complicated. The dog’s owner will likely argue that you provoked their pet or that they had no reason to suspect their animal was violent. Their insurer might try to shift the blame onto you in order to get out of paying you fairly. Things can get especially complicated if you know the dog’s owner, as you might be worried about the ramifications of pursuing a legal claim against a friend or family member.

Fortunately, you don’t have to face these challenges alone. Instead, you can turn to Attorney Collins and the rest of the team at Collins Law, who are standing by to handle your claim on your behalf. While you focus on treating and recovering from your injuries, we can:

• Investigate the dog attack to determine what happened and who was responsible
• Recover evidence to help us calculate fair compensation and prepare your claim
• Ascertain relevant insurance policies, such as homeowners or renters coverage
• File your insurance claims and negotiate forcefully with adjusters on your behalf
• Fight back against attempts to shift the blame onto you
• Take your claim to court if the insurance company or other liable party won’t make you a fair settlement offer

Crucially, we will also work hard to reduce your dog bite-related medical bills once your case is resolved. While this service remains uncommon in the legal industry, we think it’s an important part of our commitment to you.

We also know that money is likely tight right now and that you’re about the expense of hiring an attorney. That’s why we’ll work on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win compensation for your case. Our goal is to put more money back in your pocket, and we never take home any more than our clients do.

Most importantly, we’ll treat you with the dignity and respect you deserve from the moment you walk through our doors. We understand how important the outcome of your case is to your future, and we will always respect the trust you’ve placed in us.

Don’t wait another moment to get the help you deserve. Contact Collins Law today for a free consultation and discover how a dog bite attorney in Alabama can make a difference.

What Should You Do If You Are Attacked by a Dog?

Do you know what to do if attacked by a dog? The steps you take after an animal attack can have a big effect on the strength of your dog bite case and your ability to recover fair compensation for what happened. Protect your health and your rights by doing the following:

• Report the attack to law enforcement or local animal control.
• Seek medical attention for your injuries, even if you weren’t badly bitten. Dogs sometimes carry infectious diseases that require immediate treatment.
• Write down your recollection of the accident while it’s still fresh in your memory, including anything you know about the dog and its owner.
• Start an evidence folder. Include your account of the attack, copies of your medical bills and records, and paystubs or other evidence of your lost income.
• Get a free consultation with an Alabama dog bite lawyer and bring your evidence file with you to the meeting. They can review the situation, advise you on your options, and start pursuing your claim on your behalf.

What Compensation Could You Recover in a Dog Bite Claim?

The dog bite compensation you might recover will depend on the circumstances of the attack but could include money for your:

Important factors affecting your recovery include the dog’s past behavior, whether the attack occurred in public or at the owner’s home, and whether you provoked the animal somehow.

How Long Do You Have to File a Dog Bite Claim in Alabama?

Alabama’s statute of limitations on personal injury claims generally gives you two years from the date of the attack to file your dog bite lawsuit. If you wait until after this deadline to file, the court will likely dismiss your case as untimely, costing you your day in court. Don’t put your compensation at risk. Instead, get in touch with a dog bite lawyer in Alabama right away.

How Long Could It Take to Settle a Dog Bite Case?

How long it takes to settle your dog bite case will depend on a number of factors, such as:

• The underlying facts of the case
• The extent of your injuries
• The owner’s willingness to admit fault
• Whether the owner knew or reasonably should have known of their dog’s dangerous tendencies
• Whether the owner has a relevant homeowners, renters, or general liability insurance policy
• That insurance company’s investigation of the incident
• The quality of your legal representation

For simple cases where the owner is clearly liable, a settlement may take as little as a couple of months to negotiate. More complex cases could take a year or longer, and cases that go to trial could take longer still, depending on the court’s schedule.

What Is Alabama’s Dog Bite Law?

There are several Alabama dog bite laws on the books. First, Alabama’s “one bite rule” can be found in § 3-1-3 of the Alabama Code. This law holds that the owner or keeper of a dangerous animal that injures another person because of their careless management of the animal is liable for the consequences of that injury. In this context, a “dangerous animal” is one that the owner knows or should suspect may have a violent predisposition. This could be established through past attacks, aggressive behavior, or even the dog’s breed.

Furthermore, § 3-6-1 of the Alabama Code spells out conditions under which a dog’s owner might be liable for an attack even without prior knowledge that the dog is “dangerous.” This law holds that an owner is liable when their dog bites a lawful visitor to their property without provocation. The owner is also liable if the dog pursues the victim and subsequently bites them while no longer on the owner’s property. However, if the dog’s owner had no prior indication that the dog had aggressive tendencies, they are only responsible for the victim’s “actual expenses,” not for their pain and suffering.

Is the Dog Owner Responsible for Injuries from a Dog Attack in Alabama?

The victim of a dog attack can hold the dog’s owner liable for their injuries under a range of legal theories, including the following:

• The “one bite rule,” if they can show the dog’s owner knew the animal was dangerous
• Statutory law, if the attack occurred or began on the owner’s property
• Negligence, if the dog bite injury occurred because the owner carelessly handled their pet
• Negligence per se, such as if the dog’s owner violated a municipal leash law

An experienced dog bite attorney can review your case to determine which grounds apply to your situation.

What If the Person Bitten Is Partly Responsible?

Alabama follows a harsh “contributory fault” model, in which an injury victim cannot recover compensation at trial if they are in any way to blame for their injuries. Naturally, dog owners and their insurers will attempt to use this rule to get out of paying victims whenever possible.

Don’t let those responsible for your injuries get out of paying you fairly. Instead, turn to Attorney Collins, an experienced dog bite lawyer who knows how to fight back and show that you were not to blame for what happened.

What Are Common Injuries in Dog Bite Cases?

Dog attacks can result in a range of serious injuries, including the following:

Moreover, the psychological trauma caused by an attack can lead to mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Contact an Alabama Dog Bite Lawyer

Have you or a loved one suffered dog bite injuries in Alabama? If so, Attorney Collins and the team with Collins Law can help you seek the justice and accountability you deserve from the dog owner. We want to empower you to get the money you need to get your life back, and we won’t rest in our pursuit of fair compensation.

Let us make a serious difference in the outcome of your dog bite injury case. Contact Collins Law today for a free consultation, and we’ll tell you how an Alabama dog bite lawyer may help.