Workplace injuries are always somewhat concerning. But when that injury is a dog bite while at work, you can be even more confused about handling medical bills and other issues. You might even be worried about reporting the injury because it could jeopardize your job. In most cases, being bitten by a dog while working will fall under California worker’s comp. However, your first concern should always be for your health and safety. Take the time to have a medical professional evaluate the wound and determine the best course of treatment and any medication that could be required to prevent a more serious problem with infection.
Once you know that your dog bite wounds are not life-threatening, it is time to contact Normandie Law Firm to learn more about your rights as a dog bite victim and how being at work when the dog bite occurs will change who pays for the medical bills related to the dog bite injuries. The staff at Normandie Law Firm is available 24/7 to ensure that you have a reliable resource to answer your questions quickly and provide the peace of mind you need to focus on your healing and recovery. In addition, your consultation with a lawyer is absolutely free and with no obligation to hire Normandie Law Firm to handle the matter.
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All Dog Bites Can Become Hazardous
The staff at Normandie Law Firm are experts regarding your legal rights as a dog bite victim. However, we are not experts when it comes to determining how severe your dog bite injury is or if it might become infected. So we always want to recommend that our clients seek medical attention before calling on us to explain their legal options. Our team is available 24/7, so you never need to worry about meeting our schedule. We will be ready to help once you know that your dog bite wounds have been adequately cleaned and treated.
What we do know about dog bite wounds is that they can quickly become infected due to the bacteria and germs in every dog’s mouth. So never risk getting rabies, cellulitis, strep, staph, bone, or blood infections. Instead, get the treatment you need, and then our worker’s comp and dog bite personal injury experts will help you understand the next steps in ensuring you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Who Is Financially Responsible When You Get Bit By A Dog While At Work?
As a strict liability state, it is easy to place the responsibility for most dog bites on the dog’s owner. However, the process becomes more complex when a dog bites you while at work. First, you need to know who owns the dog. This is vital information for several reasons. Most importantly, you confirm that the dog is healthy and current on all vaccinations. Next, if the dog owner is your employer, then your medical expenses and possible lost wages will be covered by worker’s compensation in most cases.
The benefit of worker’s comp simplifies the process for you because bills are typically sent directly to worker’s comp from any medical care providers. So you never need to worry about doctor or hospital bills. In addition, if you cannot work while recovering from the dog bite injuries, worker’s comp will pay you a portion of your lost wages to help cover your living expenses. The other side of this benefit is that you are not legally entitled to sue your employer for any additional losses due to the dog bite injury. Therefore, your worker’s comp benefits are the most you will receive.
In the last scenario, the dog belongs to someone other than your employer. In this case, you can still file a worker’s comp claim to cover your medical bills. And you can accept the partial payment of your lost wages if you cannot work. However, you can also seek additional compensation from the dog’s owner. Some examples of the things the dog owner might owe you include the value of any personal property damaged in the dog bite incident, the part of your lost wages that were not reimbursed by worker’s compensation, and a dollar amount to represent your pain and suffering.
When you meet with the Normandie Law Firm staff, our legal experts can help you understand how the dog’s ownership will impact who is paying for your medical bills and other expenses, as well as your right to file a lawsuit if that is an option to receive additional compensation. Our goal is always to provide our clients with as much information as possible and guide them to making the best choice for their immediate needs and long-term financial stability.
Crucial Time Limits To Remember
When making a claim with worker’s compensation, it is vital to understand that you have only 30 days from the date of the injury to open the claim. If you wait longer than 30 days for any reason, your claim and benefits could be denied. It is also important to remember to notify your employer as soon as possible after an injury has occurred. This will allow the company to process the worker’s comp documentation as quickly as possible.
If you are filing an additional lawsuit against the dog owner for damages, that claim must be filed with the court within two years of the date of the incident. In most cases, if you fail to file the lawsuit in that time, you will have forfeited your ability to seek compensation. The experts at Normandie Law Firm will work with you to help ensure that all of the important dates are met when filing your compensation claims.
What Is The Value Of A Dog Bite Claim?
Lawsuits and workers comp claims are based on the actual amount of your expenses related to your injuries. Medical bills and costs directly related to the care of your injuries are typically included in both. Lost wages are partially addressed in a worker’s comp claim, while a lawsuit will often cover the total amount of your lost wages. Only a lawsuit will address your legal costs and pain and suffering.
Why Choose Normandie Law Firm
When you work with the staff at Normandie Law Firm, you will quickly see that we focus on the needs of our clients above all else. Our job is to protect their rights and secure the compensation they deserve for their injuries and losses. Only after our clients are compensated do we get paid. And if we fail to win a settlement or verdict for a client, then that person owes us nothing. Unfortunately, we did not complete the task, and we did not earn our fees.
The lawyers and staff at Normandie Law Firm are here because we believe in the legal system and its ability to help those who have suffered an injury or loss due to someone else’s actions. Our job is to see that the system works every time for our clients. We are here when you need us the most, and never will we ask for any upfront payment to provide the exceptional legal services you need to help you restore your life and financial stability. Please call Normandie Law Firm today to learn more about how we can help you after you suffer a dog bite while at work.
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