Lawyers for Dog Bite Injuries in Lexington, South Carolina
Ways to Determine if You Have a Sensible Claim for a Lexington dog bite
A good case is one that includes a few factors: legal responsibility on the part of the defendant, insurance, and a trauma which warrants substantial compensation. If you suffered a dog bite in Lexington, SC, call an experienced Lexington dog bite lawyer at the Jeffcoat Firm.
How do you confirm that the defendant is truly responsible for the dog bite?
Some states have strict liability for dog bites, whereby, the defendant is unquestionably liable. If there is not any such law, there may be a strict liability ordinance in the town or region where the event transpired, and the answer could well be an absolute yes. Now, there are the dog bites which occur in a location where not any such strict legal liability laws or ordinances are set up. Indeed, those are the majority. In such cases, you’ll have to prove one of a few special points.
- You will begin by proving that the canine has got a history of aggressive actions or attacking others and the dog’s owner was well aware of this background.
- The next thing to prove is that some other person (a 3rd party), perhaps a landlord or another person, was liable for the animal bite incident.
- Last of all, you have to establish that a 3rd party was in violation of a pertinent regulation, for example, leash laws.
The second concern is whether or not the lawfully accountable individual is covered by insurance. Folks who live in a house that they don’t lease are usually covered for animal attacks by the home insurance on the house. Tenants, on the other hand, may not have insurance. When they do, it is going to be renter’s insurance, and it should nevertheless address your animal bite damages. Landlords, shopkeepers, and corporations likewise have insurance policies that cover animal attacks. Whether there is insurance coverage is important for a couple of good reasons. Without being insured, to begin with, the defendant likely won’t have the resources to pay out the due damages. With insurance, there’s a resource for them to do so. Next, it means that the injured person can get an attorney on a contingency fee basis, also known as a “no compensation, no fee” basis. After a dog bite, your lawyer needs to know they’re going to be paid their contingency rate once they succeed. Without insurance coverage, there is no assurance that you or your Lexington dog bite lawyer will get any compensation whatsoever. Except in cases where the personal injuries are minor, recovering funds for the victim is something that really needs the assistance of an effective legal professional.
Compensation after a Dog Bite
Having resolved these concerns and found the answers you need, you’ll want to consider just how much compensation you may be owed, and whether it is sufficient to make your case worthy of pursuing. The level of reparation is determined by the nature and scope of injuries, the magnitude and effect of the medical attention, and a host of other factors like possible scar tissue, disability, loss of income, emotional damages, and future costs for scar treatment, therapy, as well as other details. The only individuals who can calculate the amount of compensation on the line will be legal professionals that stand for victims, and insurance policy claims adjusters. You won’t want to merely rely on the insurance company to fairly examine your claim; you want to speak with a skilled legal professional. Going after any injury case involves precious time, hard work, and expense. Is the potential worth of the claim worthwhile? A Lexington, SC dog bite lawyer will know the response to this query.
The concerns of legal responsibility, insurance coverage, and probable net compensation can be tough to resolve; in fact, it’s infrequent for the right answers to be apparent. Animal attack law offers defenses for pet owners, such as provocation, a presumption of the hazard, and trespass; their insurance companies can depend on exemptions, exceptions, and coverage definitions that sometimes are very controversial. Though it is uncommon for a dog attack case to go to trial, every claim must be backed up by evidence which could go to trial. You have also got to take into account the claims of the doctors who treated your injuries and the medical insurance that covered these expenses. You’ll want to remember that a dog bite case settlement may affect what occurs whenever you do your income taxes, based on exactly how you handle your compensation funds. It can also affect your eligibility for several benefits.
Retain an Experienced Lexington, SC Dog Bite Lawyer
Victims of dog bites and attacks will greatly benefit from the guidance and advice of a lawyer for these reasons. Fortunately, you can receive a free consultation from a dog bite lawyer at the Jeffcoat Firm. There’s no disadvantage in discussing the case with somebody who has the knowledge, learning, and desire to assist the dog bite victim to receive sufficient compensation without a lot of effort, stress, or problems for human relationships.
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Firm founder Michael Jeffcoat takes pride in having built a law firm that embodies his commitment to helping people who have been injured or wronged. After receiving a B.A. degree in Political Economy and Philosophy at Wofford College in 1994, Jeffcoat went straight to the University of South Carolina School of Law. While there, in addition to his studies, he participated in Moot Court, the University’s trial competition, clerked in two U.S. Attorney’s Offices (Columbia and Seattle) and also the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Jeffcoat completed his Juris Doctor degree in 1997.