Dog Bite Lawyers in Indianapolis

Whether or not you’re able to recover for your injuries depends on whether the dog’s owner has insurance. If they don’t have any insurance, it’ll be hard to get any compensation from them.  Even if you win your lawsuit, you may never see a dime.  This is why it’s important to find out if the dog’s owner has either renter’s or homeowner’s insurance.  If they do, it should cover your dog bite claim.  Property owners aren’t required to provide you with insurance information. Now, they usually will because they want to avoid being personally sued for damages.  What your Indianapolis dog bite lawyer can do is contact the dog’s owner in writing.  Your lawyer will ask them to submit all insurance information. If they refuse, we may decide to  file suit. We can then ask the court to order the defendant to supply this vital information.  They’d rather the insurance company is required to pay your damages as opposed to their client.  If the defendant is a renter, it can be very difficult to file suit against the owner’s landlord.  Indiana restricts the landlord’s liability in  most circumstances.  Hopefully,  if the defendant has renter’s insurance, then that insurance policy will be available.  If the defendant owns their home, they will have homeowner’s insurance. If they have a mortgage on the house, they’re required to carry  insurance. The point is, in Dog Bite cases it can be difficult to find insurance coverage. The Lawyers at StewartWood know how to find and pursue all insurance policies in your case. 

In some states, where the dog bite took place matters more than anything else.  In Indiana, it’s more important to determine if the dog owner has insurance.  You still have to prove that the dog bit you.  All dog owners have a duty to control their dogs.  Even if the person walking the dog wasn’t the owner, while the dog’s in their care, they’re responsible for the dog's actions.  If the dog’s owner knows the dog is vicious, they have an even higher duty to protect others from the dog.  This is true no matter whether the dog bite takes place in a public park , in a store, inside a private home or in a car.   Some owners have things like electronic fences or some other kind of pet containment system.  These may keep dogs in, but they don’t keep people out.  There’s nothing stopping a young child from walking onto your open yard and approaching your dog.  Even if a dog’s inside a restricted area, the owner is still responsible to control the dog.   If the dog owner rents their home, they should carry renter’s insurance. If they don’t, there is a chance their landlord may be liable.  If the landlord knew that the animal was dangerous and should’ve done something to get the owner to remove the dog.  If you’re in a business that caters and cares for dogs, they can be held liable for the dog’s attack.  For example, if you’re in a dog groomer’s and get bitten by a dog they’re handling, you may be able to file a claim against the company.  This is true if the company knew the dog was dangerous but allowedit and/or you onto the property anyway. 

Dog parks present a unique problem. People tend to let their dogs run free in dog parks. It’s the one time they can take the leash off their pet and let them roam free. But people have to be careful. You can’t bring your dog to a park if they’re vicious toward people or other dogs. Some people think dog parks are safe places when it comes to being sued. However, this isn’t the case. If someone gets injured because of a fight your dog gets into, you can be sued. It is very difficult to collect on a claim against a local township or municipality. Just because they created and maintain a dog park doesn’t make it responsible for what the dogs do inside that park. Local government is immune from these kinds of lawsuits. Unless they act egregiously and do something negligent, they won’t be held liable. If you have a question about how to handle your dog bite claim, contact our office and speak with one of our experienced dog bite lawyers.
If you need a dog bite lawyer in Indianapolis contact StewartWood.

Almost a million people are bitten by dogs every year. Some of these attacks are vicious while others are minor. Regardless of how bad the bite is, you need to seek medical attention. You have no idea if the dog was carrying a disease. You also want to be treated for your injuries. In Indiana, you only have two (2) years to file your dog bite lawsuit. The two years starts on the date of the attack. If you don’t file your claim within this time, your claim will probably be dismissed. Your Indiana dog bite attorney knows how long the statute of limitations period is. They also know what to do to make sure you file your claim on time. You don’t want to wait too long to retain your lawyer. If you try to handle it on your own, you could miss your window of opportunity. A lot of dog bite victims are children. There are special rules when it comes to minor plaintiffs in Indiana. The general rule is that a minor has two (2) years from their 18th birthday to file suit. Because dog bites are often associated with children, it is very important to understand the laws associated with minors. Except in cases of wrongful death, an unemancipated minor must In order to qualify as a minor, the victim must not be emancipated. In other words, they can’t be self-supporting. If they are, the regular statute of limitations will apply.

Every dog bite case is different. It would be impossible to say how long it will take for your case to settle. It’s not even possible to guarantee that your case will settle. There’s always the chance that you’ll have to go to trial. The time it takes to resolve your case varies. It can depend on the nature of your attack. It also depends on whether or not you can locate the owner and confirm if they have insurance. This can take weeks or even months. The other thing that can hold your case up is your medical treatment. You don’t want to file your claim until you know what your damages are. If you are being treated for months or even a year, you may have to wait to file your claim. The longer it takes to file your claim, the longer it’ll take to settle. Your Indianapolis dog bite attorney is aware of this. They’ll work hard to get your case settled as quickly as possible. However, they don’t want to rush and take a low-ball settlement if they’re not sure of your damages. You don’t want to settle your case until you’ve seen a doctor about any scars or disfigurement. You may need long-term medical treatment. You want to be able to include the costs of this treatment in your lawsuit.