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TwoTidbetts · May 4, 2007, 12:36 AM

My husband is helping out his grandfathers pool business and while at a customers house about a month ago he was viciously bit by the customers dog. (The dog was let outside WHILE they were there) The bite was pretty deep and big (on left outside of calf) we took him to urgent care and they treated it and put him on antibiotics but no stitches were needed. We have temporary AHCCCS (Arizona welfare ins) so his bill is technically covered but we do not feel this is our or the states problem. We reported it to urgent care as a work related injury and gave the customers information but when we asked her to pay she first stated she wished he would have called before coming (he's a pool guy, doing her pool on the scheduled day for goodness sake and the dog was inside when they got started the job) and told us to put it on his bankruptcy when he files (she is also our CPA) and then later on when we asked her again and told her we weren't filing she told us she would pay for half of the bill. Does she have this right to only pay half? I talked to my personal injury lawyer (for a 5 car pile up) and she told me to send her a certified letter requesting her home owners info and if she doesn't respond in 10 days we will seek further legal action (through my lawyers) so my questions are 1) Is there a way I can find out who her home owners is through without her giving me the info and 2) how the heck do I professionally word the letter? This woman is being very tacky and I can see her not giving us the info and I would really like to avoid using a lawyer and going to small claims. All we want is the bill paid but if I go the lawyer route she is going to end up paying more out... Pain and suffering, legal fees etc. Oh and 3) Because the state paid the bill and for the prescriptions with no cost to us will this effect anything since we technically had no expense for this bite. I would really like to pay that bill back, it is only right. Hopefully someone can help either who has been through this or knows dog bite/homeowners laws. Thank You ahead of time.

excon · May 4, 2007, 04:53 AM

Hello two:

Sue her in small claims court. It's quick, cheap and easy, and you don't need a lawyer. If she wants her homeowners insurance to cover it, that's up to her.

Of course, he'll have to reimburse the state for the medical expenses it paid, but he can keep everything he wins for pain and suffereing.

excon

Fr_Chuck · May 4, 2007, 08:25 AM

Yes, stop talking to her, you ask them once to pay the bill. Also did you report this to animal control, did you make her prove that the dog had all of its shots records in place, if not there are procdures animal control is required to do.

But you sue her, then she can either pay it herself or turn it over to her homeowners insurance.

Now with that said, if your bill was already paid, if you collect the money for the bill, you have to pay the insurance company back for the medical bill. If you receive more money than the bill, that is yours to keep.

They owe you the money for your medical bills, for transportation to the doctor, for you time off work for this and more.

Also while not mentioned even your grandfathers workers comp insurance should have paid before your own health insurance did, since you were hurt while working.

TwoTidbetts · May 4, 2007, 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

Also while not mentioned even your grandfathers workers comp insurance should have paid before your own health insurnace did, since you were hurt while working.

He was helping his grandfather that day, he isn't employed by him. The business has no employees so there is no insurance, workmans comp, etc. In fact his grandmother doesn't even want us to pursue it because she is afraid she'll lose the woman as a pool customer. I told her to "Bite Me".

No, we didn't call animal control but is that something we can still do? My husband said she told him the dog had all it's shots. I was shocked and said "AND YOU BELIEVED HER!!??" unless that dog is your own you make damn sure it has it shots.

We have every intention of paying back the state, we aren't scrub butts if you know what I mean. I could let it all go and but I didn't think it was the states burden. Thank you for your answers.