Do You Have to Report a Dog Bite in Mississippi?

Data published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that as many as 4.5 million individuals suffer dog bites annually in the United States. Those same NIH statistics reveal that at least 750,000 incidents are severe enough to warrant a victim seeking medical attention.

If your dog bit someone or you were bitten here in Jackson, would you know if you needed to report that incident?

Mississippi is unique from many other states in that it follows what essentially amounts to a “one free-bite rule.” It supports dog owners in their assumption that their dog is harmless unless it does something to prove it is aggressive or otherwise harmful to others. However, our state’s laws also empower local governments, including counties and municipalities, to decide which codes or ordinances they’ll have for dealing with dangerous dogs.

What To Do if You Suffer a Dog Bite in Mississippi

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) recommends that anyone who has been bitten, scratched, or had any contact with any unknown and potentially infected animal do the following:

• Get the dog owner’s name, phone number, and address
• Quickly cleanse the wound for several minutes using soap and water
• Promptly visit an emergency room or family doctor to get checked out

The state government agency also urges reaching out to them at 601-576-7725 during standard business hours or 601-576-7400 after hours with any inquiries or to learn more about having the pet who attacked you tested to confirm their rabies status.

Is Reporting a Dog Bite Necessary?

In the steps listed above, there is no mention of calling 911 to report the dog bite incident, but it’s in your best interest to do so.

The reason why it’s best to call 911 to have police and paramedics sent to the scene of the attack where a dog has bitten you is to document what happened, facilitate the exchange of information with its owner, and summon medical aid if you need it. Even if you decline an ambulance at the scene, you’ll still want to visit your doctor or a hospital emergency room to get checked out and potentially vaccinated for rabies.

As you await the police’s arrival, you should take time to:

• Get the dog owner’s contact information if they’re accompanying their pet on a walk if you’re not too injured to do so.
• Try and identify to whom the dog may belong if it’s not accompanied by its owner and appears to have gotten loose from its enclosure before it attacked you.
• Preserve as much evidence as possible while at the scene of the attack, such as photographs or videos of the dog, its owner, and your injuries.

This will help with the investigation into your incident by the city or the county once you or the responding police officer report it to them.

Compensation That Can Be Recovered in a Mississippi Dog Bite Case

Our attorneys regularly represent dog bite victims. We’re able to assist them in filing claims with the dog owner’s homeowners insurance policy to recover compensation on the grounds of negligence.

It’s necessary to prove liability in a dog bite case. A lawyer can help you do that. Should liability be clear enough that you’re able to file a claim, you may be able to recover compensation for the following incident-related expenses:

• Medical bills: Included in this list may be ambulance transportation costs, hospital bills (whether you received emergency room care alone or also underwent surgery and spent time in intensive care), occupational or physical therapy costs, and follow-up care. Seeking compensation for therapy if you’re suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder may be an option as well.
• Lost wages and lost future earnings: If you missed time from work or aren’t able to return to the profession and role you once were in, you might be eligible to request current and future lost income when filing a dog bite claim.
• Non-economic damages: Recovery of damages for those often-unseen losses associated with dog bite incidents, such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, a loss of enjoyment of life, and even more visible ones like disfigurement and scarring, may all be recoverable by filing a dog bite claim.

What Is an Attorney’s Role in a Dog Bite Case?

Aside from determining liability, as already mentioned, a lawyer can help you accumulate evidence in your case, such as any previous reports in our and other jurisdictions, as well as surveillance video footage. We can also gather together your medical records and bills and analyze them in preparation for demanding a settlement for your losses from the insurance company. And, of course, we can serve as a buffer between you and the dog’s owner and their insurer from start to finish—including negotiating a final offer in your case.

We offer free initial consultations whereby you can meet with a member from the legal team at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC to discuss your legal matter to see if you meet the criteria to move forward in filing a claim. Reach out to us to schedule that meeting right away.