Juneau Dog Bite Lawyer

The Brown Law Firm can help you if you’ve been bitten and injured by a dog in Juneau. No matter how comfortable you are with dogs, the wrong environment or situation can quickly lead to injuries after a bite. And sometimes, those injuries stretch into parts of your life that you might not necessarily think about right away. One way or the other, our team will be there to guide you through it. Set up a free consultation today.

Does a Lawyer Make Sense For Me?

As you might expect, there’s a lot of ways a dog bite can go. Some are relatively minor, while others have lifelong injuries. But every one of them is scary. And when it happens to you or someone you care about, it’s extremely personal. So that brings up a pretty obvious question: does a lawyer even make sense for me?

Like a lot of situations, it all depends on how hurt you are and what the circumstances are. Usually, though, talking to our team early on can make a lot of sense. We can:

Explain your options in plain language so you know what to expect.
Look into what happened and get the information you need for a claim.
Figure out who’s legally responsible for your injuries.
Handle the back-and-forth with the insurance company or dog owner.
File a lawsuit if it becomes necessary.

After a dog bite, the last thing you need is more stress. We try to make the process as simple as possible so you can focus on getting better. That starts with getting information.

Information That Can Help You After Your Dog Bite

One thing that a lot of people don’t think about with a dog bite is how traumatic it can be. Some bites happen as a split-second reaction, while others can be much more serious. Either way, your first priority should always be getting somewhere safe and getting medical care. Once that’s taken care of, there’s a few pieces of information that’ll be important:

Information about the dog and owner, as well as details about where and when the bite happened.
Pictures/videos of your injuries and damage to any personal property (torn clothing, broken phone, etc.)
Names and contact information from anyone that helped or saw what happened.

Again, only try to get these things if it’s safe, the dog is back under control, or you’ve removed yourself from the scene and are on the way to get medical care. Once things settle down, there’s other information that can help you in the days and weeks that follow:

Medical records from the emergency room, urgent care, follow-up appointments, prescriptions, and physical therapy.
Animal control or police reports, which create an official record of what happened and may include important information about the dog’s owner or whether there have been previous complaints about the dog.
Progress pictures of your injuries as they heal, especially if you’re dealing with stitches, bruising, infections, or permanent scarring.
Medical bills, receipts, and proof of missed work that show the financial impact the bite has had on your life—and may continue to have moving forward.

All of this sounds like a lot, especially when you’re confused and in pain after the dog bites you. But the fact remains, this information is going to be a big part of anything you do moving forward.

Who Pays For My Damages After a Dog Bite?

One of the first questions people ask after a dog bite is, “Who’s actually responsible for this?” That’s a big question, but in Juneau, it’s not easy to answer. Alaska doesn’t have a specific statute when it comes to dog bites. Instead, it follows more of a “one bite rule”, where it depends on showing a few different things, including

Someone owned or was responsible for controlling the dog at the time.
The dog bit, attacked, or otherwise injured you.
You were legally allowed to be where the bite happened.
The bite caused you some type of injury or other damage.
The owner or person responsible for the dog failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the bite from happening.

In other words, you’re trying to show negligence. And that also depends on the circumstances. But generally, negligence equals responsibility for paying for your damages, and that usually falls on:

Dog owners that either knew or should have known that their dog could be dangerous and didn’t take reasonable steps to keep it under control. The same goes for people that were in charge of the dog at the time, even if they don’t own it.
Property owners or landlords that knew about a dangerous dog or another unsafe condition and didn’t do anything about it.
Businesses that allowed a dog on the property and something about the way the situation was handled led up to the bite.

Your own actions can matter as well. If you were trespassing, provoking the dog, or doing something else that might have led up to the bite, it’s going to likely factor into what damages you can get.

Damages You Can Get With a Dog Bite Claim

The physical injuries from a dog bite can vary quite a bit. Bite wounds, broken bones, scarring, infections, and nerve damage can all result from one. But it’s the other effects of a dog bite that people sometimes don’t think about. Some people deal with anxiety, fear, or other emotional problems around dogs long after their physical injuries have healed. All of this can become part of the damages that come from a dog bite claim.

But to actually get them, you’ll have to either file:

An insurance claim outside of court
A personal injury lawsuit

Depending on the circumstances, insurance coverage may be available through the dog’s owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. But if the insurance company doesn’t offer a fair resolution, a lawsuit may be another option. Either way, you’re damages are going to come from costs that come from your:

Medical expenses
Future medical treatment
Lost wages
Reduced earning capacity
Property damage
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Scarring and disfigurement
Reduced quality of life

Of course, because it falls under the umbrella of a personal injury claim, a dog bite claim has to be filed within two years of the date of your injury. That alone is usually enough to get started as soon as you can, but remember, the details matter. So with that it’s important to look at where these types of situations actually happen around the city.

Where Do Dog Bites Usually Happen in Juneau?

This sounds obvious, but dog bites can happen just about anywhere people and dogs cross paths. But more to the point, that means that there are certain places where dog bites tend to happen more often than others, like:

Homes and neighborhoods. A bite can happen while you’re visiting someone, walking through a neighborhood, delivering something, or simply interacting with a dog you know. When dogs aren’t leashed or controlled, things can change quickly.
Parks and trails. Juneau has plenty of outdoor spaces where people and dogs regularly share the same areas. Most interactions are completely uneventful, but an unfamiliar dog or an unexpected interaction can quickly turn into an injury.
Downtown Juneau. With people walking around, dogs accompanying their owners, and businesses close together, there are plenty of opportunities for people and dogs to cross paths.
Businesses and other public places. Dogs may be around shops, outdoor areas, and other places where people gather. Crowded spaces and unfamiliar people or animals can sometimes create situations where someone gets hurt.

Again, what’s important isn’t necessarily where your dog bite happened — it’s understanding what led up to it and what your options are moving forward. That’s where our team can step in and guide you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don’t know who owns the dog?

That’s okay. Get somewhere safe and take care of your injuries first. Once you’re safe, we can help you figure out how to find the dog and its owner.

What if there isn’t any insurance?

You might still have options. It depends on what happened, so don’t assume you’re out of luck just because you don’t know of any insurance coverage. You can go through your own insurance, or other options our team can help you with.

What if the dog belongs to someone I know?

That’s a common concern. Filing a claim doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going after your friend, neighbor, or family member personally. You’re going through insurance.

The Brown Law Firm Can Help After a Dog Bite in Juneau

Like a lot of situations in Juneau, a dog bite can leave you facing painful injuries, unexpected medical bills, and a lot of unanswered questions. But you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

Our Juneau dog bite lawyers at The Brown Law Firm can handle the legal side while you focus on getting better. If you have questions about your options or simply want to know what to do next, set up a free consultation today.