Your Friend's Puppy Bit You: What Now?

14 July 2017
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When a good friend has recently gotten a puppy, it's natural that you'd see the animal whenever you're in their home. If that puppy bites you, it can be stressful not only because of the pain it causes, but because of the strain that it puts on your friendship with their owner. In fact, you might be shocked if your friend doesn't claim responsibility; you may then attempt legal action so that you can recoup some of the costs you've been paying to deal with the aftermath of the bite. To bolster your claim, use these suggestions.

See a Doctor

Even if the bite is very painful, if it isn't very big you may feel ridiculous going to a doctor about it. However, a doctor visit is in order whenever you're bitten. The doctor's documentation can be essential in court and shows that you aren't making up the severity of the bite, but it's also vital for your own health. Your friend may not have gotten the puppy its immunization shots yet, and you have to be sure that you haven't contracted tetanus from the bite. Tetanus symptoms include things like a high fever and a feeling of a "locked jaw" or excessive anxiety or irritability. If you haven't had a booster shot for the disease, you may need to get one.

Avoid Your Friend

Because the person who owns the puppy isn't a stranger, you might want to continue to call or show up at your friend's doorstep to talk things through. You may think that your friendship can surely handle this situation. However, if you have started legal proceedings against them, they may be reluctant to converse with you; in fact, they may be very angry. Your efforts to communicate with them could make everything much worse and lead to additional legal problems for both of you. Therefore, it's best if you just wait for the process to be over before you attempt to mend the friendship.

It's also smart to remember that you shouldn't be attempting to use mutual friends as sounding boards or asking them to pass messages to your puppy-owning friend. Try to allow your mutual friends to remain neutral throughout this process.

Caring for your own interests by considering the information detailed above might help you to find success with your legal claim. Discuss the biting event and the entire situation with a dog bite attorney for guidance.