In any dog bite case, it is critical that you gather all the necessary documentation.
It is extremely important that you take pictures of all of your injuries and maintain a diary that documents all of your injuries, restrictions, limitations, and activities that you are having difficulty doing both at home and at work.
Here are a few tips for collecting documentation for a dog bite case in Ohio.
Photographs & Notes
You must take photographs of the scene of the dog bite incident. You must take notes that includes the name of the owner of the dog, the owner’s phone number, and address and all of homeowner’s insurance information. It is also critical that you take down the names, phone numbers, and addresses of all eyewitnesses that saw what happened. You must immediately report the incident to the police and the dog warden and immediately contact the dog owner’s insurance provider.
Summary for Insurance Carrier
It is essential that you provide the insurance carrier with a thorough summary of how the incident occurred, outlining in detail all of the unsafe things that the owner did along with what the dog did that caused you harm and injuries.
Medical History
In order to document all of the damages that you are entitled to under Ohio law, it is critical that you provide all of your treating doctors, specialists, and therapists with a thorough medical history. Always remember that an insurance adjuster will not take into account your version of how the injuries occurred. Insurance adjusters rely on the medical records that are provided by your treating doctor, specialist, or therapist. These medical records need to thoroughly document all of your injuries, limitations, restrictions, mental anguish, and anxiety caused by the dog bite incident. You need to provide your treating doctor with a thorough history of the dog bite incident, detailing exactly how it happened and why the owner of the dog was unsafe. You need to describe all of the injuries you sustained, your limitations, your restrictions, and all of the mental distress and anxiety that you sustained. This may include your mental distress, frustration, embarrassment, or indignity caused by your injuries. Anxiety includes any worries that you have concerning your injury and pain, including worries about future pain. You need to tell your doctor all the activities that you enjoyed doing and how the dog bite incident impacted your ability to enjoy those activities. You need to provide your doctor with all of the activities that you enjoyed doing that were partially or fully reduced by the injuries that you sustained in the dog bite incident. Also describe your inability to perform your usual work and house related activities, including caring for your family and doing your ordinary functions (like mowing the lawn or working in your garden).
Accurately Describing Your Injury
Going from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, list for your doctor and therapist all of your injuries and describe what it feels like inside your body. Use descriptive words to describe what the injuries feel like and describe the extent of your pain to your doctor. For example, when you indicate that you have neck pain or back pain use descriptive words like “aching,” “radiating,” or “warm sensations,” as opposed to just neck or back pain. Tell your provider about the intensity of your pain:
- How long does the pain last?
- How intense is the pain?
- Does the pain come and go, or is it constant?
- Describe the frequency and extent of the pain for each of your injuries.
Documentation for Dog Bite Case in Ohio
If you have additional questions about collecting documentation for a dog bite case in Ohio, feel free to contact our firm.
