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New Bedford Dog Bite Accident Lawyer

New Bedford Dog Bite Accident Lawyer

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Dog owners in Massachusetts have a responsibility to prevent their dogs from attacking others. If you’ve been injured in a dog bite accident in or around New Bedford because a dog’s owner ignored this responsibility, you deserve to recover compensation for your medical bills and other such losses.

Your odds of securing the compensation for which you may be eligible will typically be greater in these circumstances if you have proper legal representation. At Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., a New Bedford dog bite accident lawyer can help you build a strong case.

Dog Bite Accidents: Understanding Liability

Massachusetts’ laws regarding the liability of dog owners when dogs attack is fairly strict. In most instances, when a dog causes injury or property damage in New Bedford, its owner is deemed liable.

It doesn’t matter if a dog’s owner properly restrained their dog or took other such steps to guard against attacks, nor does it matter whether a dog has a history of aggressive behavior. A dog’s owner is strictly liable when a dog attacks someone else in Massachusetts.

That said, there are exceptions. A dog’s owner won’t be considered liable if a victim was trespassing on their property when a dog attacked them (unless the victim was under seven years of age). Additionally, if a victim was attacked because they were “teasing, tormenting or abusing” a dog, the dog’s owner won’t be considered liable.

How a Dog Bite Accident Attorney Helps You Recover Compensation

Being injured in a New Bedford dog bite accident can leave you facing a range of potential struggles. Examples of losses and damages you may sustain as a result of a dog bite accident include (but aren’t necessarily limited to) the following:

  • Medical bills
  • Lost wages if your injuries are severe enough to prevent you from working until you make a full recovery
  • Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering

You may seek compensation for such damages by filing a claim to recover compensation from the insurance of the dog’s owner. Filing a lawsuit to seek damages in court is also an option if the dog’s owner isn’t insured or if their insurer won’t offer a fair settlement.

Recovering the compensation for which you’re eligible will typically be easier if you have a lawyer on your side. Be aware, an insurance company’s goal is to minimize its financial losses. If you attempt to recover compensation on your own, an insurer might attempt to deny your claim altogether by arguing that you were injured because you negligently provoked a dog, even if this isn’t the case. At the very least, an insurer will likely attempt to convince you to settle for less than your claim is worth.

Guard against being taken advantage of by hiring a qualified New Bedford dog bite accident attorney. A lawyer can:

  • Calculate the approximate value of your claim by accounting for your compensable losses
  • Dismantle baseless arguments suggesting you provoked the dog that attacked you
  • Negotiate on your behalf when the insurance company offers less than you deserve

Contact a New Bedford Dog Bite Accident Attorney

Your goal after being injured in a dog bite accident should be to focus on your recovery. A New Bedford dog bite accident lawyer at Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. can relieve you of your burdens by pursuing the compensation for which you’re eligible. Learn more about how we help by contacting us online or calling us at 617-917-3917.