If you get bitten by a dog in Texas, it is important to know what steps to take to protect yourself physically and financially. You may be eligible for financial compensation from the pet owner or another party – but only if you take the correct actions after your dog bite injury. This includes reporting your dog bite injury to the correct authorities and working with a Houston dog bite injury attorney.
Laws for Reporting Dog Bite Injuries in Texas
In San Antonio and Bexar County, any dog that bites a human must be quarantined for at least 10 days to check for rabies. This means the dog bite legally must be reported to the authorities. Once a dog bite incident is reported, an initial investigation will be completed by the assigned Rabies Control Authority.
If the bite is verified, a Bite Investigator will determine if quarantine of the animal is required. If so, the dog will need to be quarantined at the expense of the owner for 240 hours to check for rabies and other diseases. Under certain circumstances, such as if rabies is discovered, the dog may be humanely euthanized.
How to Report a Dog Bite in Texas
Report any animal-related incident in San Antonio, including a dog bite injury, to 311 first. Call 311 by phone to begin the reporting process. You can also submit an online request for the city to address your case.
Animal Control will dispatch an officer to quarantine the dog and take other precautions, as necessary. If you believe you may have been exposed to rabies, you should also report the dog bite to the Bexar County Government.
If the dog bite injury is an emergency, report it to local law enforcement authorities. Call 911 to request emergency paramedics to the scene immediately. The police can issue a report that can be used as evidence during your dog bite claim.
What Happens if I Don’t Report a Dog Bite?
Failing to report a dog bite in Texas can have adverse effects on you and your injury claim. Since reporting a dog bite injury is legally required in Bexar County, failing to do so could lead to civil and even criminal penalties.
If your local animal control authorities are not made aware of the incident, they will not investigate or enforce a quarantine of the dog. This means your medical provider will not be made aware if the dog has rabies or another communicable disease – getting in the way of you receiving proper treatment.
Finally, failing to report a dog bite also means that the incident will not be documented by trusted authorities. This can hurt your insurance claim, as the insurer will not have an incident report to use as evidence. No incident report can lead to a weaker legal case.
What to Do After Reporting a Dog Bite Injury in Texas
Once you comply with local laws by reporting a dog bite injury in San Antonio, it is important to consult with a San Antonio injury attorney who specializes in dog bite cases for help. You may need assistance from a lawyer if you have a challenging case, such as one where the pet owner’s insurance company is denying liability. A lawyer can guide you through the legal process to achieve the best possible case results while you focus on healing.
For a free dog bite injury case review in San Antonio, contact us today.