Filing McKinney Dog Bite Claims

A person suffering from a dog bites may be left with numerous physical injuries and financial burdens. Aside from the initial pain and trauma of the bite, plaintiffs may deal with emotional distress, crippling physical injuries, and steep medical bills. In order to seek compensation after a dog bite, plaintiffs may wish to contact a lawyer with experience filing McKinney dog bite claims. A knowledgeable and dedicated attorney could help a person get one’s life back in order.

Insurance Company’s Involvement in Dog Bite Claims

A dog bite claim may be the same as any other insurance claim since it is a formal request to an insurance company for coverage or compensation for a loss. The company may then validate that claim, and once approved, the insurance company could determine what payment if any should go to the injured party. Each insurance policy for a dog bite claim may contain unique and different language and insurance policies may be extra specific on how to define the claim. These details will ultimately be controlled by the insurance policy with the dog and a lawyer could explain how these details affect their claim. It is recommended for injured individuals to contact a lawyer who is knowledgeable about filing McKinney dog bite claims.

Requirements and Conditions for Filing a Claim

Most Texas homeowner’s policies do cover dog bite cases but some may contain certain exclusions, which is why the policy must be examined. A policy could exclude a person owning a certain type of dog or owning wild animals on that property. Due to the unique nature of these policies, each claim may contain unique requirements and conditions to move forward. Fortunately, a lawyer could examine a plaintiff’s policy to find out what coverage is available both in monetary value and what is covered.

Setting up the claim requires certain insurance information such as the name of the insurance company, the policyholder’s name, and the owner’s information. Although it may not take long to file the claim, acquiring the information could get complicated. Unlike other claims, such as a car wreck, an insurance policy may not necessarily be turned over in the event of the dog bite.

What Happens After a Claim is Processed?

After a dog bite claim is processed, the lawyer will send letters of representation to the insurance company. The insurance company will have notice of the claim and will then know to work with the attorney without bothering or harassing the injured party. Typically, a demand may be sent in after the medical treatment is finalized for the injured party. If not, there may be a very clear idea and understanding of what the injuries are.

Once this is done, the injured individual will send a demand package detailing what happened in the attack, what the injuries were, and the negligence actions of the defendant. It may lay out the circumstance of the attack and the injuries and may provide a rationale and a basis for why they are claiming the insurance policy and why they are claiming to be compensated for the injury.

Statute of Limitations

Under Texas law, a person may generally have two years to file a lawsuit for a dog attack. This means a plaintiff must file a claim within two years of the injury or they may lose their ability to recover compensation. After the two years have expired, it may become easier for the defendant to file a motion for the court to dismiss the case before it is ever heard on the merits. For assistance with filing McKinney dog bite claims, reach out to a lawyer today.