what do I get from a pitbull bite?
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what do I get from a pitbull bite?
Pitbull bit me the back of her knee, left leg on May 15, 2017. I had to go
through the most painful recovering process in my life not to mention the
psychological effects, work loss, school loss, beauty loss, my skin and and 3
days at the hospital with a deep wound and in the process of getting a plastic
surgery. what’s the round figure or estimate number that I can get from such
case?
Asked on June 2, 2017 under Personal Injury, Maryland
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
Assuming you were not trespassing, attempting to commit a crime at the time, or provoking the dog (e.g. taunting, hitting, etc. it)--since if you were, you could not recover *any* compensation--you would be entilted to the sum of:
1) Your out of pocket (not paid by insurance, Medicaid/Care, etc.) medical costs;
2) IF the wound causes significant and long lasting (typically months or longer) life impairment, disability/loss of function (or strength, range of motion, etc.), disfigurement, etc. an amount for "pain and suffering" more or less equal to from 1/2 to 2 times the total medical costs--this is a very subjective determination, so it's impossible to be very precise.
3) Lost wages for time you could not work due to the injury.
4) If you missed school due to the injury *and* the missed time/days cause you to lose credits, then compensation equivalent to what you paid for the classes in which you lost credit.
There is no recovery for "psychological effects" unless the injury was inflicted deliberately (e.g. the dog was sicced on you); there is no recovery for the emotional or psychological stress you suffer from dog bites not caused by improper or bad motives.
A good idea would be to consult with a personal injury attorney about the strength and economic value of your case. Many such attorneys will provide a free initial consultation to evaluate cases; you can confirm that the consultation will be free before making the appointment.
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