Wrongful Death Dog Bite Cases
If a loved one was killed by a dog, contact us at Cohen & Cohen to speak with a dog bite lawyer College Park MD offers. One of our attorneys can meet with you and review your case at no charge.
A dog bite lawyer in College Park MD can examine the circumstances of your loved one’s death and recommend whether or not you might want to consider a lawsuit. Though a financial settlement will not replace your loss, it can repay your family’s financial losses.
The Dangers of Dog Attacks
More than 4.5 million people in the United States are victims of dog attacks every year. Nearly three dozen people in this country died in 2015 from dog attacks. Statistics show that fatal dog bites or attacks occur most often under at least one of these circumstances:
- More than one dog attacks the victim at the same time.
- The dog has exhibited aggression in the past.
- The attack occurs on the same property as where the dog lives.
- The victim is an infant who was asleep.
- The dog escapes its enclosure or breaks its chain prior to attacking.
- The victim is a child who has trespassed onto the dog’s property or into its fenced-in area.
Dog Breeds Most Often Involved in Fatal Attacks
Statistics show that some dog breeds are more likely than other breeds to kill a human. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study in 2000 that researched human fatalities caused by dogs between 1979 and 1998. The study found that pit bulls and rottweilers caused 67 percent of the human fatalities during that time period. If your loved one died from a dog attack, it may be advisable to consult a dog bite lawyer College Park MD locals hire to recover damages.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits
A College Park MD dog bite lawyer from Cohen & Cohen can represent your family in a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible parties. After reviewing your case an attorney may determine certain parties in addition to the dog’s owner should be named in the suit.
A dog bite lawyer College Park MD families trust can file a wrongful death claim on your family’s behalf. In many cases, though our attorneys at Cohen & Cohen always prepare a case as if it were going to trial, a settlement can be reached. Settlements are often preferable because the process is faster than a court case and is usually less expensive. Cohen & Cohen attorneys do everything possible to maximize the amount of compensation our clients receive. In many instances, the dog owner’s homeowner’s insurance policy will pay a settlement to the victim’s family.
Eligibility for Filing a Wrongful Death Claim from a Dog Bite
The law has restrictions on who is eligible to file a wrongful death claim after someone dies from a dog bite attack. When you meet with a dog bite lawyer College Park MD provides, he or she be able to confirm who can file on behalf of your loved one. Generally speaking, a court can authorize one of the following to pursue litigation:
- The dog bite victim’s surviving spouse.
- The dog bite victim’s surviving parents.
- The dog bite victim’s surviving children or grandchildren.
- The dog bite victim’s surviving siblings, nephews, or nieces.
- Any individual who can prove they were financially or otherwise dependent on the dog bite victim. When a surviving dependant hires a dog bite lawyer College Park MD recommends for wrongful death suits, the attorney can explain what forms of proof are acceptable.
Damages that are Commonly Included in Wrongful Death Claims
An experienced dog bite lawyer College Park MD families of victims turn to for legal help can calculate a total for damages. This is only possible after the attorney has carefully reviewed the case and considered the details. As a general guideline, these categories of damages are commonly included:
- Funeral and burial costs.
- Medical treatment costs for the victim, including first responder treatment, ambulance transportation, medications, x-rays, etc.
- Any suffering and pain the victim experienced.
- Loss of income from the time the victim became unable to work and into the future based on how many years he or she might have earned income if they lived.
- Loss of affection, companionship, love, etc. from the deceased.
- Loss of medical benefits, retirement benefits, club memberships, and other benefits into the future.
- Loss of household services the victim can no longer provide such as home and vehicle repairs, bookkeeping, driving, housework, childcare, etc.
Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death Suits
The statute of limitations requires that a wrongful death suit be filed within a certain time period. After that period of time is over, families cannot file suit to collect damages for the loss of their loved one. To be sure that any further delays do not invalidate your claim, contact Cohen & Cohen immediately to confer with a dog bite lawyer College Park MD residents respect. Because our attorneys thoroughly investigate and prepare each case, it’s important to call our office as soon as possible. There is no cost to meet with one of our wrongful death attorneys for a case review. He or she will explain the rights your family has under the circumstances and if a wrongful death suit is advisable.
Experienced Wrongful Death Attorneys
Losing a loved one can be a painful and traumatic experience. Losing them from a dog attack can be especially traumatic. A wrongful death suit will not bring them back, but the family should not also have to shoulder the burden of bills and other damages. Our attorneys at Cohen & Cohen have filed many wrongful death claims and as a result have recovered maximum damages for thousands of victims’ family members. Call us today at Cohen & Cohen to discover how a dog bite lawyer College Park MD community members rely on can be of service to your family.
