Dog Bite Insurance Coverage

Answer:

I’ve talked to people who have been bitten by a dog who are concerned about getting their medical expenses paid and other losses taken care of, and they wonder if insurance covers it. That’s kind of a complex question because insurance means many things. Insurance can be insurance for the person who owned the dog who’s ultimately responsible for everything. Insurance can be your own insurance that applies. It can be no-fault insurance that the owner of the animal actually happens to have, or it can mean your own health insurance.

The question of does insurance apply requires a more complex evaluation of what the various coverages available are and which coverage should kick in. At a minimum, your own health insurance will kick in and help pay any medical expenses. The other person’s medical payments coverage on their property might kick in and pay some of your medical expenses up front before your own medical insurance pays. Then the question of does their liability coverage apply needs to be dealt with because the liability coverage will cover a lot more than merely the medical expenses; it covers the whole scope of damages. It deals with issues of lost income or lost wages, and it deals with the issues of what the other impacts that have been imposed upon you by this dog bite or this dog attack are. What are the other losses that have been imposed on you? What are your general damages, we call them, or your non-economic losses? What are those damages, and can you recover those from the insurance policy of the person who owns the dog?

The best way to get an answer to all these questions is to just give us a call so we can discuss your situation, and you can figure out what you need to do to take care of yourself.