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 7 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.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

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