What to Do After a Dog Bite in Kentucky
If you have been bitten or attacked by a dog in Kentucky, get away from the animal, wash the wound and seek appropriate medical care. You should also identify the dog and its owner, report the attack, photograph your injuries and preserve any evidence connected to what happened.
Dog bites can cause infection, nerve damage, scarring and lasting emotional trauma. The steps you take immediately after the attack can protect both your health and your ability to pursue compensation.
1. Get Away From the Dog Safely
Your first priority is preventing another bite.
Move to a secure location without chasing, striking or attempting to capture the dog. If the dog is still loose or threatening other people, call 911 or your local animal-control agency.
Do not put yourself in additional danger to obtain the owner’s information. Police or animal-control officers can help identify the dog and determine whether it can be safely contained.
2. Wash the Wound Immediately
Wash bite wounds and scratches thoroughly with soap and running water.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends washing possible rabies exposures with soap and water for 15 minutes. Cover the wound with a clean dressing after it has been washed.
Immediate cleaning does not replace professional medical care. Even a relatively small puncture can introduce bacteria beneath the skin.
Call 911 or seek emergency treatment for uncontrolled bleeding, deep wounds, significant tissue damage, bites involving the face or neck, loss of movement or sensation, or signs of a serious allergic or medical reaction.
3. Get Medical Care
A healthcare professional can clean and evaluate the wound, determine whether additional treatment is necessary and assess the risk of infection, tetanus or rabies.
Tell the provider:
When and where the attack occurred
Whether the dog is known
Whether vaccination information is available
Whether the animal appeared sick or behaved unusually
Whether you have numbness, weakness or difficulty moving the injured area
When you last received a tetanus vaccination
Follow all wound-care instructions and attend recommended follow-up appointments. Return for care if you develop increasing pain, warmth, redness, swelling, drainage, fever or red streaks extending from the wound.
You can also read when a tetanus shot may be needed after a dog bite.
4. Identify the Dog and Its Owner
If you can do so safely, obtain:
The owner’s full name
The owner’s address and telephone number
The address where the dog normally lives
The name and description of the dog
The dog’s veterinarian
Available rabies-vaccination information
Homeowners or renters insurance information
Do not accept a verbal promise that the dog is vaccinated as a substitute for medical advice or an official report.
If the dog is loose or the owner is unknown, photograph the animal from a safe distance and write down where it went. Note its breed or general appearance, size, color, collar and any tags you observed.
5. Report the Dog Bite
Report the incident to the appropriate local animal-control agency or health department.
For a Louisville or Jefferson County incident, Louisville Metro Animal Services directs residents to call 311 for bite and quarantine cases. If the attack presents an immediate danger, call 911.
An official report can:
Document when and where the attack happened
Help identify the animal and owner
Allow authorities to review vaccination records
Begin any required quarantine or public-health process
Reveal whether the dog has been involved in prior incidents
Protect other people from a potentially dangerous animal
Ask for the report or incident number and instructions for obtaining a copy.
6. Photograph and Preserve Evidence
Photograph your injuries as soon as possible. Continue taking pictures during the healing process because bruising, swelling, infection and scarring can change significantly over time.
You should also preserve:
Torn or bloodstained clothing
Photographs or video of the location
Doorbell, surveillance or cellphone footage
Names and contact information for witnesses
Medical records and bills
Medication and medical-supply receipts
Records of missed work
Communications with the dog owner
Animal-control and police reports
Write down what happened while the details are fresh. Include where you were, why you were there, whether the dog was restrained, what occurred before the attack and what the owner said afterward.
Do not post photographs or detailed descriptions of the incident on social media. Insurance companies may review public posts and attempt to use them to dispute the seriousness of an injury.
7. Learn Who May Be Responsible
Kentucky generally holds a dog’s owner responsible for damage caused by the dog.
KRS 258.235 states that an owner whose dog causes damage to a person, livestock or other property is responsible for that damage. A victim does not necessarily have to show that the dog previously bit someone or that the owner knew the dog was dangerous.
The person legally treated as an “owner” may not always be limited to the person whose name appears on a veterinary record. Depending on the circumstances, questions may arise concerning someone who keeps, cares for, houses or permits the dog to remain on property.
Landlord and property-owner claims are more complicated and require a separate analysis of the property, lease, control over the premises, knowledge and applicable Kentucky law.
Read more about dog-bite liability in Kentucky.
Should You Speak With the Dog Owner’s Insurance Company?
You can report that an incident occurred, but be careful about providing a recorded statement, signing a broad medical authorization or accepting a quick settlement.
The full effect of a dog bite may not be known immediately. Additional treatment could be needed for infection, nerve or tendon damage, reconstructive care, scarring or emotional trauma.
An early settlement normally requires the victim to release the claim permanently. Once a release is signed, the victim generally cannot demand additional compensation if the injury becomes more serious.
How Long Do You Have to File a Kentucky Dog-Bite Claim?
Kentucky generally provides one year to bring an action for personal injury under KRS 413.140.
Certain facts may affect the applicable deadline, but victims should never assume an exception applies. Evidence can also disappear long before the legal deadline arrives.
Speaking with an attorney early gives the attorney time to identify insurance coverage, preserve records and investigate how the attack happened.
Speak With a Louisville Dog-Bite Lawyer
If you or your child was injured by a dog, Mory & Colliersmith, PLLC can explain your options and deal with the insurance company while you focus on healing.
Our Louisville dog-bite lawyers represent injured people and families throughout Kentucky. Call 502-212-4333 or request a free case review.
There are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
This article provides general information and is not legal or medical advice. Every case is different.
