EricIQ : My dog and the neighbors dog had a dog fight. The owner of the dog was careless and tried to stop the dog fight with her arm and was bitten. It was dark outside and unclear whose dog bit her. Now she wants me to pay for half of the medical expenses and fence. I don't think that I should pay for any of it, since she has no proof that my dog bit her and is renting, so she cannot make decisions to change the property. My dog is now leashed and she has 3 unleashed dogs that are fenced close to her house...I also feel that if I pay for the expenses and fencing that she will eventually take me to court and, since I paid for the expenses, that makes me automatically at fault in the eyes of the law...what would you do if this were you?

WHacostaZG : First of all where did the dog fight happen, in your yard or hers? whose dog wasn't on a leash at the time? If it happened in her yard, you are at fault for not keeping your dog restrained. If her dog was in your yard, her fault. As to the dog bite, that's going to depend on who was at fault for the dogs being allowed to be out where they could fight.
as to the fence, if you share the fence it is a 50/50 split on repair or replacement between the property owners, Not renters.
Not sure where you live but in most cities, if she reports the dog bite, they will come get your dog and quarantine it and also make sure it has all of its shots.

nanette997 : I would consult with a lawyer. At first glance this looks like not a lot of money and not worth going to a lawyer. But, it could be. You don't know what the medical bills might be. Medical bills can go very high on even a small thing.

If you do reach a settlement, you can have the lawyer draw something up to protect you against any future claims.

hititapsecato : I have a lawyer filing a suit on contingency basis what is the normal percentage taken if damages and punitive damages are awarded ?

upncfwgc : 25% for an average lawyer, 33% for a good one.

Asselttox : 0ne third

agobeTaulge : Depends on a lot of factors. But the standard is 33% before filing, 40% after a suit is filed because of the increased paperwork and things to do, and 50% if it actually goes to trial.

Punitive damages are pretty rare, but attorneys usually get 50% of that because it's awarded by a jury.

I worked for a law firm that charged 33% even if it went to trial, but they usually got a case settled before it was litigated.

kantastorma : The other answers are good but failed to mention costs advanced by the attorney's office. In vestigation of a medical claim can be quite expensive and these must costs be repaid off the top. Most cases do not have punitive damages so the client may get little above his medical expenses. If he was insured he will profit, but if not at least he won't owe anything.