Insurances are security, to ensure that in the event of a mishap, you are supported until your injuries are healed and your treatment, completed, enough for you to get back to work. For dog bite injuries, know about the basic types of compensation you may be qualified for.
Dog Bite Injury Compensation:
1. Medical Expenses
One of the primary and most practical reasons why compensation for dog bite injuries is important— medical bills. This has to do with immediate hospitalization, any operations and or procedures required, doctors’ and medical staff’s bills, and more.
Medications and/or treatments you are to sign up for may be drafted as part and parcel of the compensation package.
2. Income Loss
If within the duration of the time of the accident up until your hospitalization and recuperation, you are temporarily unable to continue fulfilling your work duties, income loss should be recompensed for.
The insurer is responsible for reimbursing you your rate per hour according to the number of hours per day or week included in your employment contract. Legally termed as the loss in earning capacity, your lawyer may help you negotiate certain additions such as benefits and/or allowances you may also miss out on for the duration of your medical leave.
3. Pain And Suffering And/Or Future Pain And Suffering
Besides the physical pain wrought by sustained injuries, there are two other factors to take into consideration— emotional and mental elements. There are some insurance premiums that do not have these written down in specifics.
Here is where your lawyer can support you in motioning for a claim for these. In severe cases, victims even experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or trauma, and weakened self-esteem from the accident. Should you require additional support for future visits with psychologists, counselling, and the like, these will be covered under “pain and suffering”.
*The Multiplier
A multiplier, typically 1.5 to 4, is used by legal representatives in coming up with the total amount under “pain and suffering”. Anticipate that this is a mere estimation.
*Permanent Disability
If the dog bite causes permanent disability, nerve damage on the part of the body the dog has bitten, broken bones, head, neck, and/or face injuries, these will warrant a separate compensation as well.
A reason why this is appealed for with urgency is that permanent disability does not only affect your employment (though this in itself is already serious grounds). But it can also affect how you and your family will have to adjust to these changes and modify how routines are done in your home. The adjustments are to be remunerated for, for both you and your family, should the claim be deemed acceptable by the courts.
Read More: Calculating Damages: How Much Is Your Personal Injury Claim Worth?
4. Multiple Damages Claim
It is possible to file a claim under dangerous dog laws if the dog itself has been declared and/or previously reported vicious or dangerous. The compensation to be paid out may be more than double the actual regularly required compensation specifically because the liability, in this scenario, will be that much higher. **Houston is among the states of the U.S. that apply “strict liability” for a majority of dog bite cases. For more information, ask your legal representative.
