According to Texas Health and Safety Code §826.041, you have to report your dog bite in Texas if you have reason to believe that you could contract rabies. This could happen when you do not know the dog’s vaccination status or if a stray dog bit you.
Not only are you required to report some dog bites to the proper authorities but doing so could also protect your rights. If you decide to pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering due to your injuries, your report can be valuable evidence.
Why You Have to Report Your Dog Bite in Texas
Here are the reasons you have to report your dog bite in Texas.
Protecting Public Health
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TxDSHS), all dog bites (and other animal bites) should be reported immediately due to the threat to public health. Without tracking bites, rabies can spread. Regardless of whether or not you know the animal’s vaccination status, you should always report what happened.
Once you report your injuries, the animal will be dealt with by the “Local Rabies Control Authority” or LRCA. While high-risk, wild animals are often captured and euthanized, this is not commonly the case with dogs—so do not fail to report because you think you are protecting the dog. The LRCA may advise home confinement and quarantine for the animal, so there is no need to fear reporting.
Protecting Your Rights
In addition to protecting public health by reporting your dog bite, you also protect your own rights when reporting the incident. By establishing a paper trail, you create evidence of the dog attack and your injuries. This can be useful if you later choose to pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
A dog bite lawyer from our firm can walk you through your rights after a dog has bitten you. We can also explain what damages you could expect to recover through a successful personal injury claim or lawsuit against the parties responsible.
For a free legal consultation, call 877-239-4878
Pursuing Compensation After Reporting Your Dog Bite
Following a dog bite, you can pursue compensation for your injuries. This compensation can be for both your economic losses and non-economic losses due to the dog bite.
Economic Damages in Dog Bite Cases
In dog bite cases, you can recover economic damages through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. These damages are meant to compensate you for the financial losses from your injuries. For example, medical bills and lost wages both fall under this category.
Medical bills include things like your:
- Doctors’ visits
- Hospital stays
- Specialists’ appointments
- Surgeries
- Physical therapy
- Psychological services
- Prescription costs
- Future medical expenses if your bite resulted in an ongoing or chronic condition
Your lost wages also fall under the category of economic damages. They are meant to make up for both the work you missed, as well as any reduction in wage you may have experienced if your injuries required you to take on a role with lower pay. You can also recover damages for your lost earning potential if your injuries prevent you from working in the future.
Non-Economic Damages in Dog Bite Cases
Non-economic damages in dog bite cases refer to the other losses you have experienced that do not have their own monetary value. This includes your physical pain, mental and emotional suffering, and the trauma caused by the attack.
When an animal attacks, it can be a jarring and scary moment. In many cases, the dog who bites is known to the victim, adding to the emotional difficulty of the incident. As such, the aftermath of your injuries may take a mental toll. Our team understands this and will advocate for your recovery of these non-financial losses alongside your financial ones.
Call in the Strong Arm Attorneys Today
Call in the Strong Arm of Loncar Lyon Jenkins today at (877) 239-4878 to learn more about if you have to report your dog bite in Texas and to receive your free consultation. Your time to file suit is limited—the sooner you call, the sooner we can get started on your case. Call now.
Call or text 877-239-4878 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
