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Although some dog bites are quite minor, there are many dog bite victims that have serious injuries that result in permanent pain, lost wages from inability to work, and emotional trauma. In general, the owner of the dog is responsible for the actions of the dog. If a dog bite occurs causing serious injuries, it is a good idea to contact a Phoenix personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Victims of dog bites are entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and more. It may be possible to get punitive damages if the dog's owner showed a reckless disregard for safety. At the time of the dog bite, the victim can do a couple of things to make the case easier for the Phoenix personal injury lawyer to win. First, take as many pictures as possible with a cell phone. Take pictures of the injured area, clothing worn during the bite, the dog, the property where the dog bite occurred, and anything else that is relevant to the case. If there are any witnesses, get their contact information as well. If a friend is there, have that friend take the pictures and gather eyewitness information. It is very important that the dog bite incident is reported to the nearest animal control agency. Finally, victims should avoid talking to the other party's insurance company without the presence of an attorney. This will often be the dog owner's property insurer. The Phoenix personal injury lawyer will take a look at the available evidence to see if there is a viable case that can result in compensation. That is why photographs from the time of the accident can be very helpful. The case will be made more valuable if victims get prompt treatment for their injuries. The more medical treatments incurred, the greater the settlement as long as the treatments are to treat the injuries from the dog bite. Many people find that they need expensive cosmetic injuries to repair the damage that was caused by the dog. Eventually, the attorney will total the damages that have been caused by the dog and send a demand letter to the dog owner's insurance company. Then the settlement talks begin. Neither side will get everything that they want. It can be risk for both sides to take a case to trial due to uncertainty of the outcome. It also costs a lot of money to litigate a case at trial. That is why the vast majority of cases are settled out of court. Although the victim may not be totally happy with the settlement amount, many victims will reluctantly accept it as sufficient to move on with life. Assumption of the risk is a common defense that the phoenix personal injury lawyer needs to be aware of when litigating this type of case. For example, if the dog bite victim provoked the dog before the bite such as by taunting or kicking the animal, the victim assumed the risk of a bite. Also, employee
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