Expert Wisconsin Animal
Bites & Attacks

For millions of people in Wisconsin, dogs and other pets are part of the family. They take them on vacations and spend thousands of dollars each year on grooming and medical care. Unfortunately, other peoples’ pets can attack without warning, and when they do, people end up in the emergency room with painful injuries.

At Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC, we represent animal bite and attack victims as they seek compensation and justice. Wisconsin residents are fortunate that powerful laws are at their disposal to help them seek damages from an animal owner. These are significant injuries, and you deserve compensation when an animal bites or attacks you. After seeking medical care, please call our law firm to schedule a consultation with a Wisconsin attorney experienced in animal bite and attack cases.

Animal Injuries Are Serious

Any injury could have potentially devastating consequences. Animals can cause:

• Puncture wounds
• Lacerations
• Infections
• Poisoning (bitten by snake or spider)
• Soft tissue damage
• Fractures

Some animals will knock a person over. For example, a large dog might jump on your chest, sending you falling. These accidents can lead to neck injuries, concussions, and back injuries.

We highly recommend getting to the hospital soon after the injury. A doctor should look at the wound because the risk of infection is remarkably high. Dogs and cats have many germs in their saliva and on their nails which must be treated.

Dog Bites & Attacks

Most animal attacks involve dogs. Helpfully, you can bring a lawsuit under Section 174.02 of the Wisconsin Statutes for a dog bite, attack, or injury. You have rights under Wisconsin law. These laws make an owner strictly liable for all injuries caused by the dog, and you can seek compensation for:

• Medical care, including stitches, prescription drugs, antibiotics, and surgery.
• Lost income if the bite keeps you from working.
• Property damage, such as damage to a pet or livestock
• Pain and suffering

Because this is a strict liability statute, you don’t need to prove that the owner was careless in how he handled or restrained the dog. The fact that you were injured by the dog is sufficient to establish a legal claim.

If the dog had a history of injuring people or animals, however, you can seek even more money: double your damages. A victim who suffered $25,000 in damages could receive $50,000. That is a strong incentive for owners to restrain their animals once they know it has a history of attacking others.

You might also be able to sue anyone who keeps or harbors the animal. That might include someone who was sheltering the animal, such as a kennel. Let our Wisconsin dog bite lawyer review who you can sue

Our experienced attorneys can help determine liability and coverage in dog bite cases. We will work hard to get you fair compensation.

Dangerous Dog Breeds

Any dog can injure a person. Because infection is a serious risk for any dog bite, even small animals can cause serious complications. Still, Some breeds are more dangerous than others. Unsurprisingly, large and aggressive dogs can cause the most serious injuries, including fractures or even fatal injuries.

The most dangerous breeds include:

• Pit bull terriers
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• Dog breed
• Rottweilers
• Argentine Mastiffs
• Doberman Pinschers
• Akitas

 No matter the breed, a dog bite is a significant injury and our attorneys at Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC can help you with Other Animal Bites & Attacks

Although dog bites make up most animal injuries, any animal could cause harm, including but not limited to:

• Cats
• Cows
• Bulls
• Horses
• Snakes

There is no specific law that covers injuries involving animals other than dogs. An animal owner is liable for any injury which they could foresee. For example, a person who has loose animals could be responsible for the injuries sustained due to allowing their animals to not be contained.

With negligence, we need to know what steps the owner took to keep people and their animals safe.

Limitations on Your Compensation

Wisconsin applies comparative negligence to animal injuries—even dog attacks under the strict liability statute. Essentially, if you are partially responsible for the accident, then you could receive less compensation. For example, you might have:

• Teased or tormented the animal, such as throwing rocks at it or pulling its tail.
• Accidentally struck the animal, causing it to injure you.
• Failed to properly supervise your child, who ended up getting bitten when it confronted an animal.
• Ignored a “Do Not Pet” or “Dangerous Animal” sign.

If you took these or other steps, then your own negligence was a contributing factor in the attack. Under Wisconsin law, the amount of compensation you can receive is reduced proportionally by your share of fault. Someone who is 45% at fault will only receive 55% of their damages. Someone who is 50% at fault will receive only half their damages.

And if you are 51% or more at fault? In Wisconsin, you will receive nothing. Wisconsin bars any financial recovery when your own fault is greater than the defendant’s.

Our Legal Team Can Assist

There are many steps you should take to strengthen your claim for an injury. You need to prove which animal injured you so you can pursue compensation from the correct owner.  If you were injured by an animal other than a dog, you need to establish negligence.

At Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC, our Wisconsin our personal injury attorneys can help with the following:

• Documenting your injuries
• Collecting proof of out-of-pocket expenses like medical care and lost income
• Interviewing witnesses to outline what happened to cause the injury
• Identifying the correct animal that injured you.
• Negotiating with the animal owner or their insurance company to compensate you for your injuries.

Most settlements are paid by a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. If a business owned the animal, then they should have a business liability policy. When no insurance is available, however, we will need to consider other options.

What to Do After an Animal Injury

You can significantly help your case by taking sensible steps after an injury. We recommend the following.

First, seek medical attention and then document the injury as best as you can. Some additional things you can do include:

• Get a picture of the animal, if possible.
• Identify the animal’s owner.
• Talk with witnesses and get their names and phone numbers, These witnesses can help establish what happened.
• Take pictures of your wounds.
• Call animal control or the police to report the animal.

You should also avoid giving any type of statement to the owner’s insurer. One of their agents might call you at home. Some might even make a quick settlement offer, which is almost always too little. After an animal injury, avoid making statements or settling with the animal owner’s insurance company until you have contacted a personal injury attorney.

Statute of Limitations for Animal Attacks

Accident victims in Wisconsin have only three years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit.

It is important to reach out to a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to not miss any deadlines in filing your personal injury claim.

Call Our Wisconsin Animal Bites & Attacks Attorney for your Animal Injury Case

Animal injuries can be scary. People can suffer from terrifying nightmares after being bitten or injured. Even adults will often suffer from physical pain and emotional distress. You deserve compensation for your injuries.

Please call Fitzpatrick, Skemp & Butler, LLC today. Our legal team can meet with you to go over your legal rights and options, We will also assist with finding the necessary evidence to establish fault. Call us today. Our consultations are free, and we only charge a fee if you receive compensation.