Blog | Ahlander Injury Law

What You Should Do If Bitten By a Stray Dog

August 3, 2022 by Big Leap

Being bitten by a dog can be a frightening experience, but it is even more so if it is a stray dog. You can’t talk to an owner to know the dog’s history, and you also may not have anyone to hold responsible for the incident. It’s important to know what you should do in this situation.

Stay Away from but Track the Stray Animal

After you’ve been bitten, you should do your best to stay away from the stray animal. It is also good to track the whereabouts of the animal. Keeping track of the animal is important for several reasons: First, you can determine if the dog has any illnesses that may affect you via the bite. You can also determine if it actually has an owner or if there is someone responsible for it. Additionally, tracking the dog can prevent it from biting or injuring anyone else.

Seek Medical Attention

Once bitten, you should seek medical attention. Doing so will enable you to address your injuries and prevent infection. And don’t procrastinate your trip to the ER–it is essential to take care of the problem early on and take steps to prevent it from getting worse. Because the dog is a stray, you don’t know its history. Therefore, seeking medical attention allows you to determine if the dog passed any diseases or infections to you. While receiving treatment, be sure to document your injuries. Documentation can be used in any legal cases you may wish to pursue.

Contact a Dog Bite Attorney

Most often, dog bite attorneys are contacted in cases where you are trying to hold an owner responsible for the behavior of their dog. With a stray, there typically is no owner. However, contacting a dog bite attorney may still help you. There are still cases where someone is responsible. For example, if someone was feeding or caring for the animal or allowing it in an area where you were bit, they could be held responsible for letting it roam free. Additionally, a dog bite attorney can help you qualify for proper compensation from an insurance company. Overall, it’s worth contacting an attorney to determine what actions you can take.

In summary, if you’ve been bitten by a stray dog, there are a couple of things you need to make sure you take care of: contain the animal, seek medical intervention, and document your injuries. Then, consider contacting a dog bite attorney. Following these steps will protect both you and others, as well as get you the compensation you need.

Were you recently bitten by a stray? Click here to contact a dog bite attorney to help with your case.

What You Shouldn’t Say After a Car Accident

July 20, 2022 by Big Leap

Being in a car accident can be traumatizing and it can cause you to have lapses in judgment immediately after. If you are ever in a car accident, you should do your best to remember that what you say can impact how the accident is handled and you should avoid saying certain things.

Don’t Say You’re Fine

Many accidents will result in injuries, even if they are minor ones. However, it’s common for people to not notice these injuries immediately. In some cases, you may not notice the effects until the next day. After you’re in an accident, you shouldn’t ever say that you are fine. If you say you’re fine and then later say you were injured, that can be used against you. At the moment, you may not be sure if you are actually fine or not, so it’s better to say nothing. Don’t say you are not injured because you may not be sure and you don’t want your injuries to be discounted later.

Don’t Admit Fault

Whatever you do, you should never admit fault in an accident. After an accident, you may feel the need to explain yourself, make excuses, or apologize. These types of statements can lead to you admitting fault for the accident. Apologizing means you could be held liable for the accident and this affects how the insurance companies evaluate any claims that are made. Instead, wait until a police officer arrives on the scene. They will take statements from everyone and determine who was at fault. If you admit fault, then you could be ruining your chances of receiving any compensation from the insurance companies involved.

Don’t Say It’s Okay

Many people are distressed after an accident and you might feel the need to comfort them. While you can do all you can to calm others down and help them relax after the stress of the accident, you shouldn’t tell them it’s okay. This is for your own legal protection. When you say it’s okay, this can be misinterpreted legally and can prevent you from seeking any legal action. You need to be careful with what you say because the wrong words can work against you.

Accidents are scary and you may be left confused. However, you need to make sure you keep track of what you say to others. Your words can come back to hurt you. Make careful statements when talking with others after an accident.

Were you recently in an accident? Click here to find legal representation.

How Posting on Social Media Can Hurt Your Injury Case

July 6, 2022 by Big Leap

When it comes to the legal world, you need to be careful with everything that you say and do. This includes everything you post on social media. When insurance companies and opposing legal teams are looking for evidence, they will often search your social media for any posts that can be used against you. What you post can seriously affect your injury case.

Pictures Taken Out of Context

One way your social media posts can be used against you is by taking pictures out of context. For example, if you post pictures after your accident and it appears like you’re fine, then insurance companies and other legal teams can take those pictures and claim that you’re fine and that you don’t need the compensation you are asking for. Pictures don’t always show the full story and they can be interpreted in many different ways. If you are going through any kind of injury case, then it is best to avoid social media for a while to avoid any complications with your case.

Admitting Fault

If others hear about your injury, they may use social media to contact you and ask you about your injury, your case, and the situation as a whole. To make things easier, you may be tempted to post an update on your account so you don’t have to tell the story multiple times. If you post about the injury, you are only posting your side and your recollection of the events. This can also be taken out of context or used against you. In some cases, your social media posts can actually be seen as you admitting fault for the situation. Again, it is best to avoid social media until your case is resolved.

Talk With Your Attorney

The best way to avoid any complications while dealing with your injury case is to talk with your attorney and see what they advise. They can let you know what social media usage would be appropriate and when you may incriminate or hurt yourself in the process. Working with your attorney will give you a more favorable outcome overall and they can guide you through the process so your actions don’t cause any issues.

Social media is a constant part of many people’s lives. It may be hard to stay away from it or cut it out of your life for a time. However, any post you make can have a drastic impact on your case and it’s best to avoid it altogether.

Were you recently injured? Click here to find an attorney to assist with your case.

Why You Need an Attorney for Your Workers’ Compensation Case

June 22, 2022 by Big Leap

Workers’ compensation exists in order to protect employees if they receive an injury while on the job. While it is intended for their benefit, it can be a complicated system to navigate alone. Having an attorney on your side makes the process much easier and it can land you with a much better outcome.

Help Navigating the System

As mentioned, the process to receive compensation through the workers’ compensation system is complicated and often confusing. It’s full of legal jargon that the average person may struggle to understand. There are also specific steps and forms that need to be filled out. It can be overwhelming and there are many ways it could go wrong. To protect yourself from this, you should hire an attorney to assist on your case. They are very familiar with the process and know exactly what needs to be done and they will know how to handle your individual case. You can rest assured that they will handle everything.

Allow You Time to Recover

One of the most difficult parts of the workers’ compensation process is the fact that claims need to be filed quickly in order for you to receive compensation. This can be difficult if you are severely injured and can’t manage filing things on your own. Having an attorney on your team can remove this burden. They can handle filing the claim and handling all the intricacies while you have time to actually recover from your injuries. If you’ve been injured on the job, you shouldn’t have to be stressed or overwhelmed by workers’ compensation. You deserve time to recover and prepare for your return to work.

Attention to Detail

Every workers’ compensation case will be different and there are many intricacies involved that could alter the case. Even a small detail can make a difference as to whether or not you receive the expected compensation. If you navigate your case alone, you could miss these nuances and lose out on the proper payout. Your attorney is very experienced and they know what details to look for and they know what will impact your case the most. In order to make sure you get the full compensation, you should consider having an attorney assist on your case.

Being injured on the job can cause major disruptions to your life and you want to make sure you are properly compensated. Unfortunately, the workers’ compensation system is difficult to manage alone. Finding an attorney is an important first step.

Were you recently injured on the job? Click here to find an attorney to assist with your claim.

How You Can Be Compensated After an Auto Accident

June 8, 2022 by Big Leap

Getting into any kind of accident is a stressful experience and in the aftermath you may be wondering what will happen next. Typically, you are entitled to some compensation from either your insurance company or the insurance company of the other party or parties involved. The compensation you receive will depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Medical Expenses

In any accident, there is a potential for injuries. They could be minor and only mildly inconveniencing. However, they could also be more severe and cause serious disruptions to your life. Whatever the case may be, you should receive compensation from the insurance company to cover your medical expenses. This compensation includes the cost of any procedures you undergo as well as any other medical expenses you have. Medical care is expensive and it can be a burden, especially after a bad accident. Fortunately, insurance coverage can help remove that burden from you.

Vehicle Damage

Once you’ve addressed your own health and safety, you need to address any damage done to your vehicle. There could be minor damage like scratches/dents or your car could be totaled. In most cases, the insurance company belonging to the at-fault party in the accident will cover the cost of any damages inflicted on the vehicles involved. You can rest-assured that the cost of the damage your vehicle has received won’t be another burden for you after an accident. However, it’s important that you make an insurance claim quickly so you can receive compensation and so the insurance companies can determine who was at fault. It is also important to get an estimate for the damages to your car, even when they seem minor. Insurance companies will often argue that the crash wasn’t bad because you never got an estimate.

Lost Wages and Other Suffering

What many people may not know is compensation from insurance companies actually covers more than just medical costs and vehicle damage. For example, you may receive compensation for lost wages. This occurs if you are injured to the point where you cannot work until you’ve recovered from your injuries. The insurance company can compensate you with the money you would be making if you could work. You may also apply for compensation based on emotional or mental suffering you’ve experienced as a result of the accident.

Insurance companies are in place in order to provide financial relief after any kind of tragedy. After an accident, your finances are not the first thing you want to be dealing with. Fortunately, you can receive compensation to remove any burdens you have.

Have you recently been in an accident? Click here to find an attorney to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.