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If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, dog bite incident, you may have a case against the dog’s owner. Idaho law allows bite victims to hold the owner legally liable for their related expenses and losses. Our Coeur d’Alene dog bite attorneys handle these cases and seek fair compensation for our clients.
A Coeur d’Alene personal injury lawyer from Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers understands how important it is for you to recover physically, psychologically, and financially after a serious injury, including dog bites. We provide free initial case consultations for injured parties in Coeur d’Alene. Call (844) SARGENT now to get started.
Our Coeur d’Alene Dog Bite Lawyers Seek Damages for Our Clients
If you were hurt in a dog bite incident, you may be able to recover compensation for your economic and non-economic damages. Depending on the details of your case, your recoverable damages may include:
- Current/future medical bills
- Current/future income losses
- Diminished earning capacity for lasting injuries
- Miscellaneous expenses with receipts
- Current/future pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Reduced quality of life
Many factors can affect the potential value of a dog bite claim. Our personal injury attorney investigates the incident and gathers evidence to document what happened and the expenses and losses you incurred. Our personal injury law firm is dedicated to pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Wrongful Death in a Coeur d’Alene Dog Bite Case
Some dog bite victims do not survive their injuries. If you lost a loved one to a dog attack in Coeur d’Alene, we are here for you. A Coeur d’Alene wrongful death lawyer can investigate what happened and represent your family in a claim or lawsuit.
We understand the applicable wrongful death laws and what it takes to recover compensation for our clients and their families. If you pursue a wrongful death case, you could recover compensation for losses such as:
- Medical expenses related to your loved one’s injury
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of household services
- Loss of your loved one’s financial support
Our experienced attorneys can explain how wrongful death cases work.
Trust Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers With Your Coeur d’Alene Dog Bite Case
At Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we aim to help every client recover physically, psychologically, and financially. We live and work in your community, fighting for the money and justice you deserve.
As your local Coeur d’Alene injury law firm, we have secured more than $40 million in settlements, judgments, and verdicts for our clients over the years. Our law firm has received over 400 5-star reviews, and many former clients leave positive testimonials for our team. We understand our work makes a difference in your life, so we take every case seriously.
Our Dog Bite Injury Attorneys Do Not Charge Upfront Fees
Our law firm works on a contingency-fee basis. We do not charge our clients upfront or hourly fees. Instead, we work for a portion of the financial recovery we secure for you through a settlement agreement or court verdict.
We aim to make our legal services accessible to clients who may be facing high medical bills and other expenses in the aftermath of an accident. Our clients should not have to worry about how to pay for legal representation after all the expenses and losses they already experienced. A lack of money should never prevent an injury victim from hiring an attorney to manage their case, either.
If you’ve been injured or a loved one has been killed through an act of negligence, you need the highest level of legal representation.
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How Our Dog Bite Lawyers Approach a Coeur d’Alene Injury Case
When clients hire us as their Coeur d’Alene dog bite injury legal team, we want to ensure they understand our process and what to expect as the case proceeds.
We have a seven-step process that we navigate with every case. We move from step to step, building a compelling case and seeking fair compensation for our client. Throughout the legal process, we provide regular updates and are available to answer questions.
The steps in our process include:
Free Case Review
Every relationship with a client begins with a free, no-obligation initial consultation.
When you contact our team, we will assess your legal options and explain your rights. The next steps in your case depend on many factors, which our team will explain during this free consultation. During this conversation, we can answer your questions, ensuring you understand our services, the contingency-fee structure, and how the applicable laws affect your case.
Hire Us
We understand you may feel overwhelmed by the thought of beginning your legal case. However, we make it easy to hire our team and get started on your case. We charge no upfront fees and will ensure you understand the terms of our partnership before we get to work.
Case Plan
Developing and carrying out the case plan is the heart of any personal injury case. This is typically the most time-consuming and work-intensive part of a claim or lawsuit. Our attorneys handle all aspects of it while you continue to recover.
During this step in the process, we investigate what happened and gather evidence to support your personal injury claim. We calculate a potential settlement range for the case based on the expenses and losses you incurred. We identify and analyze the insurance coverage available and determine how to approach the carrier for compensation. We may also discuss whether a lawsuit is warranted.
Medical Treatment
Many of our clients receive care at Kootenai Health, a Level II trauma center in Coeur d’Alene. This facility is capable of treating traumatic injuries, however, we may help you get any additional medical care or see a specialist as necessary.
We understand the important role medical treatment plays in your recovery and want to ensure you receive the best care possible.
In addition, having a solid understanding of your prognosis and future care needs will help us pursue the compensation you deserve. This makes your medical treatment and care an important step in the claims process.
Negotiations
We often spend weeks or months engaged in negotiations with the dog owner, their attorney, or their insurance company. Many homeowners or renter’s policies cover dog bites, but insurers often make a low settlement offer in response to our demand for fair compensation. This begins negotiations, which could occur in person, over the phone, or in writing.
We often negotiate fair settlements for our clients—it is the most common way we recover damages—but that does not mean this process occurs quickly or easily. During negotiations, you can continue to rehabilitate your injuries. We will handle your legal case.
Settlement
Once we reach a settlement, there are still a few things left to do. We will handle these tasks, including preparing the documents you will need to sign, sending them to the insurance carrier, receiving your check, paying your contingency fees, and delivering your money to you.
Litigation
We do not need to litigate every case in court. Even when we file a personal injury lawsuit against the dog’s owner, these cases rarely go to trial. We often reach a settlement agreement before the trial date arrives. However, we will take any case we handle before a judge and jury if it is necessary to get a fair outcome for our client.
Our attorneys handle personal injury lawsuits in Kootenai County regularly. We know the legal process and what to expect throughout your case. We will represent you throughout the process if we take your case to trial.
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Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Determine Who Is Liable for Your Coeur d’Alene Dog Bite Injuries
Each state has different laws related to dog bite injuries, which could affect which parties our team can hold liable.
States approach dog bite cases in one of two ways:
- They require victims to show a known history of the dog’s bad behavior to hold the owner accountable
- The victim can hold the owner liable regardless of the dog’s history
The second is the law that applies in Coeur d’Alene, ID. According to Idaho Statutes § 25-2810 (11), the party who owns or controls an animal is liable for its actions when an injury occurs, regardless of its history. This means the victim can recover compensation for their bite-related expenses and losses by showing:
- The party who owned or controlled the animal had a duty to keep others safe from an attack
- They failed to keep you or your loved one safe from injury
- The owner’s negligence caused your dog bite injuries
- You suffered damages
If you did nothing to provoke the dog, you should not be responsible for the damages that resulted from the accident.
Our Attorneys Will Investigate Your Dog Bite Case to Establish Liability
When our Coeur d’Alene dog bite attorneys take on a case, we launch an investigation into what occurred and the event’s details. This investigation identifies, collects, and analyzes evidence that could support an insurance claim or lawsuit. We may collect evidence such as:
- The police report, often filed by the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office
- Eyewitness statements about the incident
- Video of the incident
- Photos of the dog, scene, and injuries
- Relevant medical records
- Any history of previous incidents involving the dog
- Documentation showing who owned or controlled the dog
Our attorneys also document the damages our client suffered using:
- Medical bills
- Receipts for related expenses
- Income statements
- Documentation of missed work
- Medical expert opinions about prognosis and future care needs
- Other expert testimony about ongoing and future expenses
Once we have a strong understanding of the case and the potential value of your settlement, we can seek compensation on your behalf.
Types of Injuries Our Dog Bite Clients Can Seek Compensation for in Coeur d’Alene
When a dog attacks you in Coeur d’Alene, you may suffer painful injuries. Some dog bite victims suffer puncture wounds and bruising that require a trip to the emergency department or urgent care for cleaning and antibiotic prophylaxis. Even worse, some dog bite incidents can cause catastrophic injuries. This could include:
- Deep puncture wounds
- Tearing of soft tissues
- Damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Features and crush injuries
- Amputations, especially of fingers, hands, and ears
- Serious infections
Dog bite injuries can be debilitating, changing many aspects of the victim’s life and requiring ongoing care and support. When this occurs, you have the right to seek compensation for the expenses and losses associated with medical care, income losses, and ongoing costs.
You Should Get Started on Your Dog Bite Injury Case Right Away
You may want to consider reaching out to our Coeur d’Alene dog bite team as soon as your injuries allow. This may be a few days or weeks after your injuries, depending on the severity. If necessary, you can call us on behalf of a loved one with catastrophic injuries.
The earlier you call us and hire our Coeur d’Alene attorney, the sooner we can go to work investigating the dog bite incident. This could allow us to recover and preserve additional evidence that may not be available later. For example, many businesses have surveillance video, but they only keep the files for a week or two. If we wait too long, crucial video of the incident might not be available.
Another reason to act quickly is because there is a deadline for filing a lawsuit. Each state sets a deadline for how long an injury victim can wait to file the paperwork to start a personal injury case. Idaho’s statute of limitations is generally two years. However, exceptions exist. You might have more or less time to file based on the circumstances of your case. Letting us know about your injuries as soon as possible protects your right to seek justice.
Discuss Your Legal Options With Our Coeur d’Alene Personal Injury Team
Our Coeur d’Alene dog bite attorneys at Sargent Law Firm Injury Lawyers may seek and secure compensation for you based on your injuries and damages. Learn more today during a free case consultation with our team. We will assess your options over the phone or in person.
Contact us 24/7 by calling (844) SARGENT.
