A dog bite is often more than just a physical injury. While your physical wounds may heal in weeks, the emotional and psychological trauma can leave invisible scars that linger long after.
If you are struggling with flashbacks, anxiety and an intense fear of dogs, then you are likely suffering from emotional distress. The good news is that California law recognizes this trauma and offers legal options where you can seek full compensation for your suffering.
What are emotional distress damages?
Emotional distress is the deep mental and emotional suffering you go through because of a traumatic event like a dog attack. It includes anxiety, fear and other negative emotional responses that impact your well-being.
In California courts, emotional distress falls under one of these two types of damages you can claim after a dog bite:
- Economic damages: These cover your financial losses such as medical bills and lost wages.
- Non-economic damages: These compensate you for your pain and suffering and cover the emotional distress you have experienced.
Your emotional injuries matter just as much as your physical and financial injuries. However, they are often harder to prove at court due to their non-quantifiable nature. Thus, filing for emotional damages often requires solid evidence and proper documentation to be recognized.
Proving trauma in a dog attack
You will need strong evidence to prove your emotional trauma after a dog attack. Since emotional distress is not easily measured at court, you have to present strong evidence that gives context to the suffering you experienced.
Here are three documents you can use to prove your emotional distress:
- Medical records: You can use your medical records if you are seeing a therapist or a psychologist to help you address your trauma after a dog bite.
- Personal documentation: You can also record a personal timeline of the psychological changes that happened to you before and after a dog bite.
- Witness statements: If you have friends or family members who noticed psychological changes in you after the dog attack then you can also use their statements to prove your distress.
With these three documents, you can provide significant context for your emotional distress after a dog bite. However, providing context and evidence is only the first step towards receiving fair compensation.
Seeking compensation for your emotional distress
Your psychological trauma deserves the same recognition as any of your physical wounds. You have every right to demand compensation for the emotional distress you’ve endured.
However, your swift and full recovery remains the first priority after a dog bite. Having a trusted legal counsel can help you navigate the claims and legal process while you focus on healing physically and emotionally.
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