While they may be considered man’s best friend, dog bites are actually very common occurrences. In fact, dogs bite at least 4.7 million people per year, and often, those bites result in serious injuries, missed work and whopping medical bills. Unfortunately, only about 1 percent of victims actually get compensated after a dog or animal bite.

This is an unfortunate statistic considering the fact that home insurance companies generally provide liability coverage for accidents just like this. The fact of the matter is that many victims, regardless of the severity of the injury, do not report the bite or attack.

Hiring an attorney to help you through a dog or animal bite claim is wise move. Insurance adjustors looking into the case will offer a substantial amount more in financial compensation to victims that are represented by an attorney than to those handling their own case. Not to mention that representing yourself in a case such as this is stressful and emotionally trying, and without the proper experience, can become an exercise in futility.

When you hire an attorney for a dog bite or animal attack, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be suing anyone. In fact, more often than not, you will never go to court for the matter. The attorney instead will work with the animal owner’s insurance company and present your case in a manner that will facilitate a fair settlement.

Most dog bite or animal attack cases are handled on a contingency basis. This means you will not pay the attorney a retainer fee. Rather, the attorney will be paid as a percentage of the settlement received for the case. Since cases involving attorneys generally receive larger settlements, you’re still likely to receive greater compensation when working with an attorney – not to mention that you’ll save yourself a great deal of time and stress.