Types of Expert Witnesses in Dog Bite Cases

Updated on: 11/22/2019

In the event of a dog bite or animal attack, it’s important that you contact an experienced dog bite lawyer to learn about your legal options. These incidents are often serious and result in life-changing injuries, and victims are often unprepared to take on the case themselves. 

The right attorney will know exactly how to proceed and use their connections to experts to build your case. When someone else’s dog bites you, they are likely responsible for the damages you sustained. But proving the various elements of the case requires certain knowledge that only dog bite experts can provide. 

Types of Dog Bite Case Experts

Some common types of expert witnesses used in dog bite cases:

• Dog breeders: This type of expert can render opinions about negligence, temperament, socialization and the customs of dog training. How a dog was raised can have an impact on the incident in question.
• Animal control: These officials can assist with the investigation and give opinions about compliance with local laws that could form the basis for negligence in the case.
• Canine behavior expert: This type of expert can analyze the dog’s aggression, determine whether the owner would’ve had prior knowledge of the dog’s aggression and fail to prevent the incident, as well as reconstruct the incident. This is sometimes the most important expert in the case.
• Doctors: When a dog bite incident occurs, it may be difficult to asses the full scale of the injuries. From nerve damage to post-traumatic stress, the injuries in these events are wide-ranging. Dog bite incidents can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages in some cases, and doctors are able to explain the current and future impact of the injuries.
• Psychologists: Victims that have been attacked by a dog often suffer mentally. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common occurrence after a severe attack, and a psychologist or mental health professional can properly explain the psychological effects of the incident.
• Vocational experts: If a dog bite attack has affected your ability to do your job, a vocational expert can testify as to the extent.
• Economists: Injuries suffered in dog bite attacks often cause victims to miss work. Experts can testify to how the injuries affected your ability to work, how much income you lost as a result and whether your long-term job outlook has changed.

How Dog Bite Expert Witnesses Can Help

In dog bite incidents, establishing fault is key. An expert witness can talk at length about the dog’s breed and genetic tendencies that might have led to the attack. Factors might include:

• What the dog’s history was
• The way the breed acts
• The way the dog was bred
• Whether the dog breed was intended to be dangerous
• Whether the dog breed was intended to hunt
• Whether the dog breed is still dangerous in today’s world

An expert witness in a dog bite case might have to observe or inspect the dog in question to see whether it shows signs of aggressive behavior, or tendencies that prove it would be aggressive.

Consult with a Dog Bite Lawyer 

Dog bites are a very common injury and can be devastating both physically and emotionally for the victim. Child are the most at-risk age group, and these events are often particularly traumatic. In rare cases, these attacks can result in death. If an animal attack causes the death of your loved one, you can bring a wrongful death case against the owner.

If you have been bitten by a dog or injured in an animal attack, contact the Washington personal injury attorneys at Davis Law Group, P.S., for a free case evaluation. Davis Law Group handles a wide variety of personal injury cases and is dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for our clients. We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay attorney's fees after a settlement is reached.