dog bite demand for payment

[quincy]

Thanks, I will. I don't expect quick resolution as this happened over a year ago and I only hear from the attorney every few months.

It is too bad that the family did not just accept your offers to take care of the medical expenses and then move on. Their investment in the attorney seems to me to be a bit of a waste of money.

 

[freeusername]

I received yet a third copy of the same letter today. I called the attorney but got her voicemail. I did leave a detailed message saying something along the lines of, "I received your letters. As I said before I am happy to pay the medical bills, but your client refused. I will not be filing an insurance claim because I have the funds, but you know that my insurance company would only pay for the medical expenses as well. I am at a loss as to what else to do here."

I would like to close this chapter out, but I guess short of sending them $6000 there is nothing more I can do except let this play out.

Any further suggestions?

 

[Zigner]

I did leave a detailed message saying something along the lines of...I will not be filing an insurance claim because I have the funds...

And THAT is how people talk themselves in to a lawsuit.

 

[freeusername]

And THAT is how people talk themselves in to a lawsuit.

In what way? I had told her before that I would pay for the medical bills.

 

[Zigner]

In what way? I had told her before that I would pay for the medical bills.

There was no reason for you to say that you have plenty of money so you won't be turning it in to your insurance company. Heck, there's no reason at all to even explain why you won't be filing a claim...or even that you have insurance.

 

[freeusername]

There was no reason for you to say that you have plenty of money so you won't be turning it in to your insurance company. Heck, there's no reason at all to even explain why you won't be filing a claim...or even that you have insurance.

I get it, thanks for clarifying.

I'm not trying to play games with these people. I want to send them their $1329 and move on.

It sounds like my best position is to just to take no further action at this time unless I get a different letter and not the same one over and over or receive some new information from the lawyer.

 

[Zigner]

I get it, thanks for clarifying.

I'm not trying to play games with these people. I want to send them their $1329 and move on.

It sounds like my best position is to just to take no further action at this time unless I get a different letter and not the same one over and over or receive some new information from the lawyer.

While $6,000 may seem to be too much, $1,329 is too little. Personally, I'd expect this to settle in the $4,500 range

 

[LdiJ]

While $6,000 may seem to be too much, $1,329 is too little. Personally, I'd expect this to settle in the $4,500 range

I disagree. From the description of the wound I wouldn't have even taken my child to the emergency room at all. I doubt if I would have even taken my child to a 24 hour clinic unless the wound showed signs of infection. I WOULD have asked to see the dog's shot records but other than that, I probably would not have done anything. I am not so much a dog person, I am really more of a cat person but if someone gets bit by a dog on a leash, its NOT the dog's fault or the fault of the owner.

I also think its ridiculous that the cost of an ER visit for a minor dog bite is 1329.00. That is just another example of how our entire medical system has gone berserk. Of course, if the parents had taken the child to a 24 hour clinic instead its likely that it wouldn't have been even 20% of that...maybe even only 10% but that's water under the bridge...and this is not the place for my "soapbox".

 

[Zigner]

I disagree. From the description of the wound I wouldn't have even taken my child to the emergency room at all. I doubt if I would have even taken my child to a 24 hour clinic unless the wound showed signs of infection. I WOULD have asked to see the dog's shot records but other than that, I probably would not have done anything. I am not so much a dog person, I am really more of a cat person but if someone gets bit by a dog on a leash, its NOT the dog's fault or the fault of the owner.

But that's not what the parents of the child did...while different from what you or I *might* have done, it wasn't unreasonable for the parent to do this. Also, we don't know how bad the wound actually was, how much it was bleeding, etc.

 

[freeusername]

But that's not what the parents of the child did...while different from what you or I *might* have done, it wasn't unreasonable for the parent to do this. Also, we don't know how bad the wound actually was, how much it was bleeding, etc.

I wouldn't have gone to the emergency room either, but they did. I offered to pay for it but they rejected my offer.

And I posted earlier about how bad the wound was. I cleaned it with an antibacterial wipe and it stopped bleeding immediately. The medical reports list it as one puncture wound. It was cleaned and he was released with antibiotics to prevent infection. No stitches.

 

[AdjunctFL]

I disagree. From the description of the wound I wouldn't have even taken my child to the emergency room at all. I doubt if I would have even taken my child to a 24 hour clinic unless the wound showed signs of infection.

When I was bitten by a dog earlier this year I did go to the Emergency Room (actually, an Urgent Care clinic.) It wasn't a large bite, just three teeth marks that bled. They washed the wound, prescribed an antibiotic and updated my Tetanus vaccination. The dog was on a leash but lunged at me (it was a large German shephard.)

The Doctor's office was also required to report all dog bites to the County Health Department. That way the owner can never assert (again) that the dog never bit anyone before.

 

[LdiJ]

When I was bitten by a dog earlier this year I did go to the Emergency Room (actually, an Urgent Care clinic.) It wasn't a large bit, just three teeth marks that bled. They washed the wound, prescribed an antibiotic and updated my Tetanus vaccination. The dog was on a leash but lunged at me (it was a large German shephard.)

The Doctor's office was also required to report all dog bites to the County Health Department. That way the owner can never assert (again) that the dog never bit anyone before.

An urgent care clinic is nothing remotely like an emergency room. An urgent care clinic costs about 10-20% of what an emergency room costs.

 

[Zigner]

An urgent care clinic is nothing remotely like an emergency room. An urgent care clinic costs about 10-20% of what an emergency room costs.

It's irrelevant. The fact in this matter is that the child was taken to the ER.

 

[KITTvsKARR]

You may be kinda screwed here...

 

[Zigner]

You may be kinda screwed here...

This thread is nearly two months old - I'm sure the matter has been resolved. Please watch the dates.