It’s an old stereotype: a delivery driver goes to do their job and finds themselves hounded by an overenthusiastic dog. Unfortunately, that stereotype doesn’t play out as sweetly as it does in cartoons and sitcoms.
Delivery drivers can find themselves dealing with serious injuries due to poorly behaved dogs. Westport delivery driver dog bite lawyers can help them recover.
Skiber Law believes in offering delivery drivers and other injured parties the helping hand they need in the wake of a serious accident. Our Westport dog bite lawyers have helped clients secure over $50 million in damages since the firm opened in 2008.
If you’re dealing with the aftermath of an animal attack, turn to the team with experience advocating for the justice you deserve. You can book a free dog bite case consultation with our legal representatives today.
Can You File for Workers’ Compensation After a Dog Bite at Work?
As a delivery driver, you may have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim with your employer if you’re attacked while on the job. You will need to communicate the reality of your injuries with your employer within 30 days of an attack, after which you can file a claim and request compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages.
However, insurers may require you to meet certain criteria to qualify for workers’ compensation. Likewise, independent contractors driving delivery trucks or their own vehicles may not benefit from workers’ compensation, depending on a client’s coverage, if there’s any available.
If you’re not sure whether or not you qualify for workers’ compensation in the wake of a dog bite accident, you can work with a Westport personal injury lawyer to break down your situation and act accordingly.
Our team stands ready to represent you in conversations with your employer, clients, and their insurers. We’re not afraid to litigate on your behalf if the need arises.
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What Do Connecticut Laws Say About Dog Bites?
If you don’t benefit from workers’ compensation, you have the right to take legal action against a dog’s owner under the law. The General Statutes of Connecticut §22-357 notes that dog owners have to assume liability for their dog’s behavior regardless of that dog’s known or unknown history of violence.
That duty falls under Connecticut’s interpretation of strict dog bite liability. So long as you can bring forward enough evidence to prove that a dog owner failed to uphold the duty of care that they owed you, you can demand financial compensation from that owner. You can work with our delivery driver dog bite attorneys in Westport to find the evidence to establish your case.
How shared fault affects your claim
Connecticut follows modified comparative fault under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-572h: when the victim and the defendant share fault, the court reduces recoverable compensation by the victim's percentage of fault, and a victim whose share of fault is more than 50 percent may not recover at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you file for workers’ compensation after a dog bite at work?
As a delivery driver, you may have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim with your employer if you’re attacked while on the job. You need to communicate the reality of your injuries with your employer within 30 days of an attack, after which you can file a claim and request compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages. Insurers may require you to meet certain criteria to qualify, and independent contractors may not benefit from workers’ compensation depending on available coverage.
What do Connecticut laws say about dog bites?
If you don’t benefit from workers’ compensation, you have the right to take legal action against a dog’s owner. Connecticut General Statutes §22-357 states that dog owners have to assume liability for their dog’s behavior regardless of the dog’s known or unknown history of violence, reflecting Connecticut’s strict dog bite liability. If you can bring forward enough evidence to show the dog owner failed to uphold the duty of care owed to you, you can demand financial compensation from that owner.
When’s the best time to contact a Westport delivery driver dog bite lawyer?
You should not wait to get in touch with an experienced attorney after an animal attack. The sooner you start working with a lawyer, the easier it can be to gather the evidence needed to support your right to legal action. Contacting a lawyer also helps you stay ahead of the statute of limitations; under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584, you generally have two years to name a dog owner financially accountable for your recovery after an attack.
What can you expect when you work with Skiber Law on a delivery driver dog bite case?
Skiber Law states that no two dog bite cases look alike and that the firm does not take a cookie-cutter approach. The team can investigate the circumstances of the attack, gather evidence, work with medical professionals, witnesses, and experts to assess injuries, calculate economic and non-economic losses, finalize case valuations to reduce undervaluation by insurers, represent you in conversations with insurers and dog owners, continually advocate for maximum damages, and negotiate for a settlement or take the case to trial.
When’s the Best Time to Contact a Westport Delivery Driver Dog Bite Lawyer?
Do not wait to get in touch with an experienced attorney after an animal attack. The sooner you start working with a lawyer, the easier it will be for them and a team of experienced investigative professionals to gather the evidence needed to elaborate on your right to legal action.
You can schedule a free dog bite case consultation with our team shortly after an incident occurs. That consultation won’t obligate you to move forward with legal action, but can instead let you get to know our team while discussing what steps you can take to secure injury compensation from a liable dog owner.
What’s more, working with our team lets you stay ahead of your dog bite case’s statute of limitations. According to Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584, you only have two years to name a dog owner financially accountable for your recovery after an attack. Getting in touch with our team a few weeks after an attack lets you make the most of your state-approved filing timeline. In most cases a claim may not be brought more than three years from the act or omission complained of, even if the injury is discovered later.
What Can You Expect When You Work With Our Team?
No two dog bite cases look alike. Fortunately, our team doesn’t take a cookie-cutter approach to your recovery. When you turn to Skiber Law for legal support, you can trust our Westport, CT, delivery driver dog bite attorneys to:
- Investigate the specific circumstances that led to your animal attack
- Gather evidence proving that a dog’s owner put you in harm’s way and that said harm was otherwise avoidable
- Work with medical professionals, witnesses, and experts to assess the severity of your injuries
- Calculate the value of the economic and non-economic losses you can reference when assigning a dollar value to your case
- Finalize those calculations, making it harder for insurers and liable parties to minimize your losses or offer you settlements that undervalue your post-attack expenses
- Represent you in conversations with insurers, dog owners, and other parties, thereby protecting your right to financially recover from your losses
- Continually advocate for your right to maximize your attack damages
- Negotiate for a settlement or take your case to trial
Skiber Law Puts You First
The legal team at Skiber Law continually advocates for our clients. We do not let dog owners or other parties get away with negligence that puts you and the people around you in harm’s way. Our aggressive representation makes it easier for you to overcome the financial burdens placed upon you.
Our client-centric approach to legal action ensures that our clients understand the ins and outs of their right to legal action, as well as any deadlines that apply to their cases.
Every client who comes through our doors benefits from over 50 years of combined legal experience as well as the firm’s deep connection to the local legal community.
Our dedication to professional success makes our law firm an excellent ally to anyone in need of legal support in the wake of an animal attack. If you’re ready to discuss your recovery goals, you can book a free case consultation with our representatives today.
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Let Skiber Law Take Your Case Today
Delivery drivers and dogs don’t have to be natural enemies, and delivery drivers don’t have to resign themselves to getting hurt on the job. Every delivery driver has the right to hold a dog owner liable for losses sustained due to a dog’s bad behavior.
If you’re struggling to hold a dog’s owner accountable for your recent dog bite injuries, get in touch with a delivery driver dog bite attorney in Westport, CT, to discuss your legal options. We can help you pursue workers’ compensation based on your losses or file a claim against a dog’s owner with Connecticut’s civil courts.
Skiber Law believes that everyone has the right to justice in the wake of an avoidable accident. Schedule a free consultation and let us advocate for your right to fair treatment today.