After you have been bitten by a dog, the owner of the dog might be responsible for compensating you for your medical bills, lost wages, and other economic expenses. However, you will also be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. These damages are more difficult to quantify and will require the help of a personal injury lawyer.

Dog Bites Can Cause Significant Pain and Suffering

A dog bite can cause serious injuries and can even send you to the hospital. However, even after you are able to recover from the incident, you may be left with emotional scars and ongoing pain that can last for months or even years.

Pain and Suffering is Difficult to Calculate

Pain is subjective and the amount of pain that one individual might suffer from a similar injury can be greater than what another individual might suffer. There are other factors that might be at play such as previous injuries you might have had.

"Pain" specifically refers to the pain you experienced through the injury and "suffering" refers to the mental anguish you went through in response to becoming injured as a result of a dog bite injury. The best way to determine how much you should be compensated for your pain and suffering is to consult with a personal injury lawyer.

How to Prove Pain and Suffering

Your medical records will play a major role in determining how much you should be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering. Your personal injury lawyer will likely involve an expert witness who will testify on your behalf and explain the extent to which your injuries might impact your life.

Why You Must Calculate Your Pain and Suffering

Based on the severity of your pain and suffering, you will be assigned a number that will then be multiplied by the economic damages you have suffered. This will be used to arrive at a specific figure that you will be entitled to.

Even if you intend to settle your case out of court with the dog owner, you will need to know how much you would likely receive in compensation if your case would go to trial and you would be awarded damages for pain and suffering. For this reason, a personal injury lawyer can be very helpful because they will be able to come up with a sensible settlement offer when negotiating with the owner of the dog.

Share