Charlotte Dog Bite Lawyer
Were you or a loved one bitten by a dog in Charlotte, NC? You may be entitled to recover financial compensation from the dog’s owner. An experienced Charlotte dog bite lawyer at Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and more.
Our lawyers put the weight of over 32 years of combined experience to work in every case we take on. We’ve used our skills to help injured clients like you recover over $35 million in settlements and verdicts.
Contact our law offices in Charlotte, North Carolina, to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.
Why Trust Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers for Help After a Dog Bite Injury in Charlotte?
Dog bites can cause serious injuries and lasting trauma. While you can’t hold the dog responsible, you can hold the dog’s owner liable. With dog ownership comes responsibility–but not all dog owners want to accept that truth.
An experienced Charlotte personal injury attorney can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve.
Our team at Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers has been recognized by Super Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, and Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite.
Hire us, and you’ll have a legal team to:
- Investigate and gather evidence about the dog’s history of aggression
- Assess the value of your damages
- Identify the legal theories that can be used to recover damages
- Protect you from allegations that you provoked the dog bite
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a full settlement
If you have questions about how a lawyer can help, call for a free consultation with our Charlotte personal injury lawyers today.
How Common Are Dog Bites in North Carolina?
CDC statistics show that about 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year. Approximately 800,000 of those dog bite victims suffer injuries serious enough to require medical treatment.
About 41.3% of all households in North Carolina own at least one dog. Unfortunately, dog bites are also common. According to a study released by the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies in North Carolina paid out about $15.1 million in settlements to dog bite victims in a single year.
What Is My Charlotte Dog Bite Injury Claim Worth?
The value of your personal injury claim can depend on various factors, including:
- The nature of your injuries
- The cost of your medical care and out-of-pocket costs
- The value of any lost income during recovery
- How the trauma of the dog bite impacted your emotional wellbeing
- Your prognosis for making a full recovery
Most dog bite injuries are covered by homeowner’s insurance. However, don’t expect the insurance company to offer a fair deal without a fight. Before taking an insurance deal, contact an experienced lawyer to learn how much your case is really worth.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in Charlotte?
Under North Carolina law, dog bite injury victims can pursue compensation for economic and non-economic losses.
Depending on your unique losses, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Corrective surgeries
- Rehabilitation
- Counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Fear and anxiety
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
If you were attacked by a dog, contact us today to schedule your free case review to get started.
Can I Recover Damages if I’m Being Blamed for Provoking a Dog to Bite in North Carolina?
North Carolina follows a strict contributory negligence law. Under this law, you cannot recover compensation if you were even partly to blame for your own injuries.
If a dog’s owner is blaming you for provoking the dog bite, it’s important to have an experienced lawyer by your side. Our lawyers in Charlotte will gather evidence to counter the insurance company’s blame-game tactics and minimize the impact of North Carolina’s shared fault laws.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bites can cause many types of serious injuries–especially if the victim was a young child or was pushed to the ground.
At Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers, we often handle dog bite injury cases involving:
- Puncture wounds
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Infection
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Joint injuries
- Amputations
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If the dog isn’t vaccinated, the risk of infection is particularly high. Dog bite injuries can also be particularly dangerous because dog bites can be jagged and difficult to suture. If you were injured, we’re here to help. Just call our personal injury law firm in Charlotte for a free consultation.
How Do I Recover Compensation After a Dog Bite Injury in North Carolina?
Every state has its own set of laws when it comes to dog bite injuries. Some states follow a one-bite rule. In these states, dog owners are only liable for dog bite injuries when their dog has bitten someone in the past.
Other states follow strict liability laws, where dog owners are liable for dog bite injuries regardless of whether they have knowledge of the dog’s vicious tendencies.
North Carolina’s dog bite law is slightly more complicated. Some dog owners can be held strictly liable for damages. However, you may have to prove that the dog was dangerous.
You won’t have to prove that the dog owner was negligent to recover damages if the dog:
- Was over six months old and allowed to roam freely at night
- Had previously injured or killed another person, or
- Had previously been designated as a dangerous or potentially dangerous dog
In these situations, you can recover damages regardless of whether the dog owner was careful or not. However, not all dog bite injuries fit into scenarios where strict liability laws apply. If you were bitten by a dog and strict liability theories don’t apply, you can still recover damages if you can prove the dog’s owner was negligent.
What Do I Have To Prove To Recover Damages Based on Negligence in Dog Bite Cases?
Negligence is the legal basis for most personal injury claims. Someone is negligent when they fail to exercise reasonable caution under the circumstances.
So, if the dog’s owner fails to take basic precautions to keep others safe, they can be held liable for their own negligence.
The four elements of negligence are:
- A legal duty of care existed
- A breach of duty occurred
- The breach caused an injury
- The victim suffered damages
All dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs from harming others. Dog owners who had reason to know that their pet had vicious tendencies must take added precautions.
In these situations, you may be able to recover damages if:
- The dog had displayed vicious tendencies in the past
- The dog owner knew, or had reason to know, about the animal’s dangerous or vicious propensities
- You were injured by the dog
However, there are many different ways to prove that the dog owner was negligent.
For example, our lawyers will search for evidence about:
- Prior complaints about the dog’s behavior
- Prior reports of dog bites or animal attacks to animal control
- Whether the dog’s owner kept the dog secured on their premises
- Whether the dog’s owner allowed the dog to roam the neighborhood freely
- Whether the dog’s owner violated Charlotte’s local leash laws
Whether you were on public property or lawfully on private property, you may have a valid claim for compensation if you were bitten by a dog. Contact Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers to learn more about your legal rights.
Defenses to North Carolina’s Dog Bite Liability Laws
North Carolina dog owners often put up a fight when it comes time to accept responsibility for their dog’s aggressive actions.
Two primary defenses to dog bite liability include:
- You were trespassing at the time the dog bit you
- You provoked the dog to attack
You should expect the dog’s owner to assert one of these defenses. While the law doesn’t automatically relieve the dog owner of responsibility, courts do take these defenses seriously. If the dog owner is trying to blame you for causing your own injuries, contact us today for a free consultation with a Charlotte dog bite attorney.
How Long Do I Have To File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Dog Bite in North Carolina?
The statute of limitations in North Carolina is three years for personal injury cases. You have three years from the date of the dog bite injury to file a claim for compensation. After three years pass, you lose your right to sue for damages.
There are exceptions to the statute of limitations, so contacting an attorney as soon as you can is strongly recommended. That way, you can protect your legal rights and interests moving forward.
Call an Experienced Charlotte Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or a child were bitten by a dog in Charlotte, our lawyers at Chandler | Volta Personal Injury Lawyers can help. You may be entitled to significant compensation. Call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Charlotte dog bite lawyer.