Personal Injury Law: 3 Types Of Evidence To Establish Identity Of Dog

With approximately 1,000 Americans requiring emergency medical attention each day from dog bite injuries, it's safe to say that there are quite a fair amount of dog bite personal injury claims filed each year. If you're the victim of an attack, establishing the identity of the dog and the dog owner is one of the first steps to opening a personal injury claim. You want to be able to prove beyond a reasonable amount of doubt the identity of the dog that attacked you. Here are 3 types of evidences that can help.

Photographs or Videos of the Dog at the Time of the Accident

If the attack wasn't too vicious or gruesome, you might have had the opportunity to take photographs or videos of the dog that attacked you, as well as the owner, before the medics arrive. You want to photograph the dog from different angles, along with the owner, so that the owner cannot try to claim that it was another dog that attacked you. Take photographs of the scene of the accident as well for good measure.

Saliva and Fur Samples Taken from Clothing or Wounds

Depending on whether the dog owner is willing to take responsibility for the attack, your attorney might even recommend taking an extra step in keeping saliva and fur samples retrieved from your clothing or from your wound. If you were at a dog park, dog fur samples may not accurately determine which dog attacked you, as the owner may claim that the fur was from when you pet their dog. However, samples of saliva taken from the wound is undeniable proof of the identity of the dog.

Testimony from Credible Witnesses

Hopefully the attack happened on public property where there were other witnesses. You'll want to retrieve testimony from credible witnesses regarding how the attack happened, who the dog owner is, and which dog attacked you. Witness testimony will not only establish the identity of the dog and the dog owner, but can also provide further insight to the court as to whether you incited or provoked the dog to attack. The owner may claim that you provoked their dog as their defense.

Conclusion

Take immediate action if you are a victim of a dog bite injury. Speak to a dog bite personal injury attorney, like one from Randall A. Wolff & Associates, Ltd, as soon as possible in order to figure out the type of evidence that you need to prove which dog attacked you. Unfortunately, not all dog owners may step up to the plate and take responsibility. At times, some dog owners may attempt to deny their dog's involvement. 

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