I Was Bitten By a Neighbor’s Dog

More than 12,000 people are hospitalized yearly due to dog bites in this country. Over four million dog bites happen every year coast to coast. One-quarter of those bites result in infection. From 1993 to 2008, the rate of dog bite hospitalizations nationwide exploded by 86%. Infants and toddlers are dogs’ number one victims.

Around 1,000 people per day are admitted to the emergency room because of a dog attack. Between 2013 and 2022, the average cost of a dog bite case grew by more than 130%. With an average dog bite hospitalization costing almost $20,000, it’s no wonder. Sadly, this number is 50% higher than other hospitalizations due to being injured (vs. being sick).

Steps to Take If You Are Bit by a Neighbor’s Dog

Call 911 or Go to the ER or Urgent Care

Depending on the severity of your wounds, either call 911 and get an ambulance out to you or go to the emergency room (if you will need more than about five stitches or an MRI) or urgent care (if you just need an x-ray and a few stitches). Don’t downplay what happened. When the dog that attacks is your neighbor’s (presumably your friend), there is a tendency to downplay symptoms.

Put your safety ahead of anything else if you are bit by a neighbor’s dog. Even waiting just 24 hours to get treated can mean you’ve already been infected with something that leads to staph infections or worse. Follow your doctor’s aftercare instructions and, above all else, keep the wound(s) clean.

Report the Attack to Animal Control

For public safety, Animal Control needs to investigate every dog bite incident. It’s crucial that you notify Animal Control as soon as you can, and your medical team will no doubt remind you of this. If your attack was very serious, the hospital should be able to report it for you. If you called 911 after the attack, the dispatcher no doubt notified Animal Control but always confirm it.

Animal Control will locate the dog, see if it’s licensed and vaccinated, and inspect the dog’s current health to see if it appears to be sick. They will create a report of the incident connected to the dog’s license and/or owner/address, etc. Ask to receive a copy of the report if they do not automatically give you one.

Prepare Your Legal Case

Ohio Revised Code section 955.28 ensures that irresponsible or negligent dog owners are, in legal terms, “liable” for your lost wages, medical bills, damaged property…even pain and suffering. If you were physically and/or emotionally injured in the dog attack, you have the right to financial compensation. It’s important, especially in the early stages, to proceed as if you’re going to need to prove everything in court. To help your lawyer build a strong case against the dog owner:

• Follow your doctor’s orders to recover after the attack. Take all prescribed medication. Go to all of your follow-up appointments. Attend physical therapy. Let your medical team know if you run a fever, experience a pain spike, etc.
• Document anything you may know about the dog’s history. You can write it in a journal, in an email to Animal Control, or in a medical app message to your doctor. Include things like the dog’s breed, size, why the owner has the dog (Is it for protection?), have you ever seen the dog snip, growl, or act aggressively before, is there a “beware of the dog” sign on your neighbor’s property, what have your other neighbors observed about the dog or owner (Is it kept outside in the rain, walked regularly, taunted by neighborhood kids?), and has the dog been known to get into fights with other dogs?
• Take lots of photos and videos documenting the attack and your injuries—not just at the time of the incident but as your healing progresses as well. Doing things like holding a ruler up next to your injuries and other things to further quantify your injuries and losses is helpful.
• Get the contact information of any witnesses who were present during the attack.
• Call the local District Attorney’s office and ensure that your neighbor is prosecuted criminally. This is not required for a civil case, but it is really important to ensure the dog owner’s negligence doesn’t hurt or kill a baby the next time.

What Happens to the Dog That Bit You?

Ohio Revised Code section 955.261 states very clearly, from a legal perspective, what must be done after a dog bite. To summarize:

1. Ensure that the offending dog is not removed from the county where the bite occurred. The dog may be moved or put down after being quarantined for ten days. The board of health can oversee or assist with quarantining such dogs. Dogs may be transported to the local Animal Control facility.
2. If the dog is at risk for attacking again or is terminally ill, it can be put down before the quarantine period ends. If this should happen, the board of health must be notified, and the offending dog’s body should not be touched until it is tested for rabies.
3. There are special rules for police dogs.

Should I Hire a Lawyer for a Dog Bite?

Did you know victims who have legal representation get settlements over three times bigger than those who handle their cases alone, according to the Insurance Research Council? This means dog bite lawyers are paying for themselves and still putting more money in your pocket, on average. Obviously, results vary on a case-by-case basis, but there is no reason not to shop around for a lawyer. You won’t pay anything at all for the lawyer’s services in the beginning or until you win compensation. The legal fees are taken from your settlement amount when your check comes in.

Do You Need an Ohio Dog Bite Lawyer?

At Dyer, Garofalo, Mann, & Schultz, we are Ohio dog bite lawyers who will fight for the maximum compensation possible for you. Dog attacks are serious injuries that can be reduced in the future with our help. Contact us at 937-222-2222 to book your free legal consultation today. You can also use our web contact form as well.