Raleigh Dog Bite Lawyer

A dog bite can be life-changing, with debilitating injuries and an expensive, painful rehabilitation. You may be suffering financial hardship as you pay medical bills and take time off of work, not to mention the personal stress of an investigation. If your child was bitten, it can be even more devastating. Whichever situation applies, our Raleigh dog bite lawyers are here to take care of you.

For almost five decades, we have supported families in Raleigh through difficult situations like these. We want to help you, too. Our legal services are built around your needs, as we strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment centered around genuine care and compassion. This is the Whitley Advantage. We provide everything you need for your claim, so you can be with your family without worrying about the challenges of pursuing compensation.

To discuss your case for free today, call us at (919) 785-5000.

Helping You Access Support and Rehabilitation for Your Best Possible Recovery

Dog attacks are frightening and often come with long-term physical injuries and emotional trauma. In an effort to ease some of your suffering, we do everything within our power to ensure you feel heard and taken care of. We take the time to understand how you are feeling and what you and your family are going through, so we can fight for the fair value of your damages, including:

• Your physical pain and emotional suffering
• The cost of your medical bills, treatment, and rehabilitation
• The impact of lost wages while you recover
• The effect on your employment if your injuries limit or prevent you from working
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Lost enjoyment of life

When you work with our Raleigh dog bite attorneys, our team does its best to help you make a strong recovery. We will manage every aspect of your case so you do not have to worry about gathering evidence, establishing liability, assessing your financial damages, or negotiating for fair compensation.

Owners Have a Responsibility to Prevent Their Dogs from Harming Others

In North Carolina, the “one-bite rule” applies. As such, dog owners have a responsibility to keep the public safe while walking their dogs, especially if the animal has a history of aggressive behavior or was provoked, regardless of how long ago the behavioral problem was. Failure to do so would make the dog owner negligent.

However, even owners of dogs who have bitten for the first time can still be liable. Our lawyers can examine your case and determine whether the dog owner is legally responsible for your losses. We can also help if the dog owner disputes fault, for example, by saying you provoked the animal.

The last thing you need is a complex legal battle on your hands when you should be able to focus on what is important–your recovery. We are here to give you that opportunity. In addition to ensuring you are comfortable during the legal process and providing regular updates, we can help you understand leash laws, access expert witnesses to bolster your claims, and help you avoid mistakes that could harm your case.

Raleigh Dog Bite Lawyer Near Me (800) 785-5000

Animal Abuse May Lead to Aggression

Dog owners have a responsibility to treat their pets humanely mainly because it is the right thing to do, but also to reduce the likelihood of the dog becoming aggressive. Dogs who are mistreated may be more aggressive than those who don’t.

Examples of abuse that may make a dog more aggressive include:

• Failing to provide appropriate shelter and regular food and water
• Forcing animals to compete for food
• Chaining up animals for too long

A dog owner can be held liable if the abuse of their pet results in aggressive behavior. Therefore, our attorneys take great care when we investigate how the owner looked after their animal to build an accurate and robust case.

Liability in Cases Involving Dangerous Dogs

According to the NC G.S. § 67-4.4, “The owner of a dangerous dog shall be strictly liable in civil damages for any injuries or property damage the dog inflicts upon a person, his property, or another animal.” According to the law, dangerous dogs are defined as:

• Having killed or inflicted severe injury on a person, or
• Having bitten someone to the point of needing hospitalization
• Having killed another domestic animal
• Having approached someone in public in a menacing or aggressive way

The jurisdiction where the dog bite took place as well as your actions before the dog bite can impact your eligibility to recover compensation (and the total compensation) for your injuries.

Contributory Negligence Rules Could Affect Your Right to Seek Compensation

For example, in some jurisdictions, if you provoked the animal into biting, it is unlikely you would be able to recover compensation from the dog owner. This alludes to the contributory negligence doctrine, whereby if you are responsible in any way for causing an accident, you are barred from recovering financial damages.

However, in many cases, this defense is used as a way for owners to avoid financial responsibility after a dog bite accident. So, if your claim is being disputed, and you are facing unfair allegations about your actions having contributed to the animal’s aggressive behavior, do not worry.

Our attorneys will be at your side to defend any unjustified claims made against you. We will always protect your rights to ensure you are fairly treated during the legal process while fighting for the positive outcome you deserve.

We Want to Make Things Right for Severely Injured Dog Bite Victims in Raleigh

At the Whitley Law Firm, we always put your needs first. Our exceptional client care and experience with litigation enable us to better fight for you and your family. We want to make ourselves available to you, so if you’re unable to travel, we’ll come to you. Additionally, we offer our clients the following services:

• More than 80 years of combined legal experience
• A free case evaluation
• Representation on a contingency-fee basis with no out-of-pocket costs
• Law offices in Raleigh and other parts of the state

To learn more about how we can help you today, contact our team at (919) 785-5000 or through our website for a free consultation.