Chace Hawk Personal Injury Lawyer in Augusta near you

Were you or your child bitten by a dog in Augusta, GA? You may be entitled to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. An experienced Augusta dog bite lawyer at Hawk Law Group can help you fight for the fair compensation you deserve. 

Our lawyers have over three decades of experience helping clients like you recover the fair compensation they need. In fact, we’ve already recovered millions of dollars to help our satisfied clients move forward handling cases like bicycle accidents, electric scooter accidents, pedestrian accidents in Augusta, product liabilities, Augusta workers’ compensations, taxi accidents, and many more.

Dog bites can be traumatic. If you have questions, contact our law offices in Augusta, Georgia at (706) 722-3500 to schedule a free consultation today.

How Hawk Law Group Can Help After a Dog Bite in Augusta 

Hawk Law Group personal injury lawyers in Augusta near you

Millions of Americans own dogs. While those dogs bring joy to many families, they can also be unpredictable. After all, they are animals who are capable of causing serious injuries.

If a dog injured you or your loved one, you may be entitled to hold the dog owner liable. However, you shouldn’t expect the insurance company to merely hand over a check. Georgia dog bite laws are complex–and the insurance companies know the law inside and out.

An experienced Augusta personal injury attorney at Hawk Law Group can advocate to protect your rights. 

Hiring us means you’ll have a lawyer who will:

  • Gather the evidence needed to prove the owner knew about the dog’s aggressive nature
  • Protect you if you’re blamed for provoking the dog
  • Consult experts who can bolster your case
  • Calculate your damages and losses
  • Negotiate with the insurance companies for the maximum settlement possible

Our Augusta personal injury attorneys have recovered some of the highest verdicts in the CSRA. Collectively, we have over 70 years of experience going toe-to-toe with the insurance company.

To learn more about what we can do for your family, simply call for a free consultation today.

How Common Are Dog Bites in Augusta, GA?

According to the CDC, nearly 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year. That means a United States citizen has a one-in-70 chance of being bitten by a dog. 

Unfortunately, many dog bites are serious. About 14,025 dog bite victims are hospitalized with serious dog bite injuries annually.

According to a study by State Farm, Georgia ranked 9th among states reporting the highest payouts when it comes to dog bite claims.

What is My Augusta Dog Bite Injury Case Worth?

In most dog bite cases, an insurance company will eventually pay the victim’s damages. Insurance companies paid out approximately $854 million in dog bite liability claims in 2020. 

Before accepting a settlement, it’s important to know how much your personal injury claim is worth. Dog bites can cause significant damage–especially if the victim is a child. However, no two dog bite injury cases are the same. The facts and circumstances of your unique case will determine how much money you take home.

Important factors that apply when calculating the value of your case include:

  • The severity of the injuries
  • The emotional and physical trauma of the ordeal
  • The age of the victim
  • Whether you’ll miss work
  • The cost of your medical treatment and your need for future medical care

Those insurers will do everything they can to pay less than you deserve. Don’t let them get away with it. Call Hawk Law Group to speak with a lawyer who can assess the fair value of your personal injury case today.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Dog Bite Victims in GA?

You have the right to hold a pet owner accountable for damages after a dog bite. It’s important to include the full range of available economic and non-economic damages in your settlement. 

Your economic damages will include:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Past and future lost earnings
  • Rehabilitation 
  • Reconstructive surgeries
  • Counseling 
  • Property damage

Non-economic damages awards often account for your:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Physical disfigurement 
  • Scarring
  • Anxiety, depression, and PTSD
  • Loss of consortium

At Hawk Law Group, we’re prepared to help you fight for every dollar you deserve. Just call our law firm to schedule a free case review today.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for Causing a Dog Bite in Georgia?

Typically, Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence law. That law only bars a victim from seeking compensation if the victim was more than 49% to blame for an accident.

Different rules apply in dog bite cases. If the owner can prove that you provoked the dog, you could lose your right to compensation entirely. Dog bite victims who taunt, tease, hurt or otherwise provoke a dog can’t seek compensation if the dog reacts and causes an injury.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can cause a surprisingly wide range of injuries. Those injuries often extend well beyond the actual puncture wound–especially if the victim is knocked to the ground. Unfortunately, many dog bite victims are children.

Some common dog bite injuries include:

Some dog attacks are serious enough to cause the wrongful death of your loved one. If you were injured or lost a family member, our lawyers are here for you. We’ll fight to recover the maximum compensation available. Just call our law offices to schedule a free case evaluation today.

How Do I Establish My Right to Recover Damages After a Dog Bite in Georgia? 

Many states follow a “one bite rule” when it comes to dog bite cases. In those states, owners are automatically liable for dog bite injuries if their dog has a history of biting. In other words, the owner is assumed to have known about the dog’s vicious tendencies. So, they can be liable for any future damages.

Georgia doesn’t follow a one-bite rule. However, similar principles apply. 

A “modified” one bite rule applies in the state of Georgia. Under Georgia law, it’s possible that a dog owner can be held liable for injuries caused by a dangerous or vicious dog. You won’t always have to prove that the dog has bitten before to recover damages.

To recover damages for injuries under Georgia dog bite laws, you’ll generally have to prove that:

  • The dog was dangerous or vicious
  • The dog owner carelessly managed the animal
  • You did nothing to provoke the dog bite or dog attack

These laws apply regardless of whether you sustained a dog bite wound or were injured by the dog in some other way. However, most dog owners will claim that they had no prior knowledge of the dog’s vicious tendencies. That can make it difficult to establish liability if the dog has never bitten before.

On the other hand, in the state of Georgia, a dog is deemed to have vicious propensities if:

  • A city or county ordinance requires the dog to be on a leash or at heel, and
  • The dog is not on a leash when it bites or attacks the victim

Augusta takes animal control seriously. In fact, Augusta leash laws almost always require dogs to be on a leash while on public streets and dog parks. It’s illegal to let your dog roam freely when you’re away from your home. In these cases, it can be easier to establish that the owner is responsible for your dog bite injuries.

Georgia Dangerous Dog Laws

Stricter rules apply if the dog has been legally classified as a dangerous dog. A dangerous dog is one that has, without provocation, either seriously injured a person or aggressively attacked a person.

Owners of dangerous dogs must:

  • Register the dog with the city
  • Carry at least $50,000 in liability insurance
  • Confine the dog in a secure location
  • Post warning signs about the presence of a dangerous dog
  • Restrain and muzzle the dog

In these cases, the owner is presumed to know that the dog has vicious or aggressive tendencies.

Were you a victim of a dog bite or animal attack? Call our Augusta dog bite attorneys at Hawk Law Group to learn more about your legal rights today. We offer a free case review, so there’s no risk to getting the legal advice you deserve.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Dog Bite Injury in Georgia?

Georgia law limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. In most cases, you’ll have only two years to take legal action. 

The consequences for missing the deadline are serious. You could lose your right to compensation entirely.

Contact an Augusta Dog Bite Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Were you or a loved one injured by a dog bite or animal attack? Call an experienced Augusta dog bite lawyer at Hawk Law Group to schedule a free initial consultation. We’ll fight to recover the full and fair compensation your family needs.

Our personal injury law firm in Augusta also provides:

Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Augusta, GA

Hawk Law Group – Augusta
338 Telfair St. Augusta, GA 30901
(706) 722-3500

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Augusta Emergency Rooms

  • University Health Care System Emergency Room – 1350 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30901, United States
  • Children’s Hospital of Georgia Emergency Department – 1446 Harper St, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
  • Augusta University Medical Center Emergency Room – 1120 15th St, Augusta, GA 30912, United States
  • Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta – 1537 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30904, United States

Areas we serve in Augusta, GA

Augusta, North Augusta, Downtown Augusta, Medical District, Forest Hills, Summerville, Murray Hill, Harrisburg, West End, and its surrounding areas.

What our Augusta clients have to say about us

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