Dog Bite Attorneys Fighting for Damages from Trauma after a Philadelphia Dog Attack
Dog attacks were particularly traumatic. Not only can they result in a permanent reminder of the event, but they could disfigure and emotionally traumatize an adult or child for the rest of his or her life. A dog attack claim will include claims for pain and suffering for emotional distress in addition to the physical damages.
From a personal injury standpoint, “pain and suffering” or “emotional distress” refer to the physical and emotional pain that a victim suffers after an attack. All personal injury claims request this type of damage, but in a dog attack case, the request could involve a higher value of compensation.
Emotional Distress Associated With a Dog Attack
Emotional distress – or sometimes referred to as mental anguish – includes the injuries that a victim suffers from a dog attack. While insurance companies and defense attorneys will try to downplay emotional distress as a ploy to get more money, emotional distress is real. In fact, for victims of a dog attack, emotional distress can be so severe that it is debilitating. The victim might be unable to leave his or her house, and life may be forever changed.
The severity of emotional distress depends on the victim. Some may overcome their emotional distress through therapy and medication, while others suffer for the rest of their lives. Some symptoms of emotional distress include:
- Anxiety
- Frustration
- Depression
- Insomnia or night terrors
Telling an insurance claims adjuster or defense attorney that a victim has these symptoms is not enough. Instead, they must be documented. This includes seeking treatment from a mental health professional and receiving some form of therapy – whether medication or psychotherapy. Keeping a journal of symptoms – and how they affect your life – can help, too. For example, you can document night terrors that you have about the attack, how you are unable to leave the house each day out of fear that a dog will attack you again, and so forth.
How Much is Emotional Distress Worth?
There is no strict value placed on emotional distress. Every dog attack case is different, and the amount of emotional distress that a person suffers depends on his or her personality and the severity of the attack itself. Typically, insurance companies use a modifier to multiply economic damages by a specific number to determine pain and suffering (i.e., non-economic) damages.
To explore your options for compensation after a vicious dog attack, you need an attorney who understands the complexity of calculating emotional distress from this type of incident. Jeffrey H. Penneys, Esq. has been representing victims just like you for years. He understands the emotional trauma from a dog attack, and he can help you receive the compensation you deserve for your emotional and physical injuries.
Contact Jeffrey H. Penneys, Esq. today by calling his cell phone at 215-771-0430 or calling his office at 215-987-3550. You can also reach out to him online with your dog attack questions.
