National Directory of Dog Bite Attorneys was created by Los Angeles dog bite expert witness, Richard Polsky, PhD. Since first appearing online in 1993, efforts have been made to make the website more resourceful for dog bite victims and more beneficial for dog bite lawyers. The website provides a directory of attorneys in the United States who litigate cases involving injury to people caused by dogs.

Estimates indicate that annually, approximately 4.5 millon people are bitten by dogs in the United States. Dog bites to people, particularly children, can result in serious psychological and physical injury or can be fatal. Dog bite victims need a dog bite attorney to acquire a complete understanding of the legal options they have as a result of being attacked and injured by a dog. This website provides the dog bite victim the resource to do just that!

Question and Answer

How will the attorney benefit from a listing in the Directory?

First, having your name and firm listed in the directory provides the dog bite victim a means to find a dog bite attorney in their area. 

The National Directory of Dog Bite Attorneys is organized by state, and when needed according to city. There is no cost for the attorney to have his name and law firm listed in the Directory

Second, attorneys receive referrals.

When a dog bite victim submits the victim feedback form, those attorneys in the Directory closest to where the victim lives will be notified. Attorneys will be sent information about the incident and the kind of injuries the victim sustained. This information will be sent to the attorney only if the victim consents to having this done.  If the attorney decides to pursue the referral, contact information will be sent for a nominal fee. 

Third, attorneys can post articles on the website blog.

Victims may be interested in learning about the significant dog bite cases attorneys have handled or about dog bite law in their state. Victims are also likely to be interested in commentary about dog bite law.

Having an attorney’s web site linked to dogbiteattorneys.info could boost the search engine ranking of the attorney’s website.

Links between websites are currently very significant in increasing web site page ranking for selected keywords in Google.

How will the website benefit the dog bite victim?

First, the directory provides a convenient way for a dog bite victim to find a dog bite attorney.

Often victims do not know where to turn for legal help or have difficulty finding attorneys specializing in dog bite law.

Dr. Polsky will provide feedback to the dog bite victim using his expertise in animal behavior.

The dog bite victim frequently seeks answers to questions that have more to do with animal behavior than dog bite law.  Dog bite victims want to know, for example, why the incident happened, if certain breeds of dog are dangerous by nature, or if they were at fault because they were told that their actions “provoked” the dog.  Moreover, dog bite victims are often interested in learning if the incident was foreseeable given the circumstances surrounding the incident, or if the careless handling of the dog by the owner make the attack likely.

Dr. Polsky will use his experience as an animal behavior expert witness by answering questions like these. Dog bite victims will not be charged for this  feedback.  When appropriate,  and upon consent, Dr. Polsky will then refer the victim to those attorneys in the directory. These steps make the website a valuable resource for dog bite victims, their families.

How will dog bite victims find this website?

Keyword search on the internet.

When the Directory was first launched, dog bite victims found their way to the site in this manner through keyword search, and many probably arrived by way of dogexpert.com (popularity ranking of this website is approximately 550,000 overall, and the site is currently receiving (as of  July 2012) approximately  6000 unique visitors/mo.).

More significantly, efforts are continuously being made to make the website achieve high rankings specific to city and state through search engine optimization.

How can an attorney make a listing in the directory?

Click on the icon below to register online.

Only licensed attorneys in good standing with their state bar can register.  Currently, there is no charge to be listed. However, the attorney must  provide a link on their website to Dr. Polsky’s main website http://www.dogexpert.com.

 

What is the current status of the directory?

The directory is being rebuilt and listings are taken for no charge.

There is no charge to the attorney for a listing in the directory. Attorneys will be listed in the order their listing is received. During the rebuiding phase of the directory, those attorneys who list first will receive their listing at the top of their respective state.

How can dog bite victims use this website?

Consult the directory to find a dog bite attorney in your location.

Attorneys listed in this directory are assumed to be licensed and currently allowed to practice law in their respective state. Further, all are assumed to be competent in dog bite law, and how the law in their state may be applied to personal injury caused by dogs. Hence, if you are a victim who has sustained serious dog bite injury, contact an attorney in the directory nearest you!

Tell Dr. Polsky about your incident.

Dr. Polsky would like to learn what happened to you and the circumstances surrounding your incident. He in turn will provide feedback to you at no cost from his perspective and experience as a animal behavior dog bite expert.

What you need to do to receive this free service is as follows: Simply, complete and submit the victim feedback form.

The victim feedback form provides information about how your incident happened, the kind of dog involved, and the extent of your injuries. Once this information is received, upon your consent, Dr. Polsky will forward information about your incident to the attorney(s) in the directory closest to you. Other than this, the information you send will remain strictly confidential. It will not be used for any other purpose. Your email address will not be distributed or sold. The attorney who receives this information may contact you to discuss the incident further, and he/she will provide you with feedback about your legal options.

Moreover, Dr. Polsky is well-qualified to provide you with expert opinion from his perspective: he has worked with attorneys as an animal behavior expert on dog bite cases on numerous occasions. Dr. Polsky cannot provide legal advice, but he can tell you if your state has strict liability for dog bites or uses common law theory (i.e. the so-called “one free bite”) and how these laws might apply to your situation based on the fact pattern of your case.