Most Common Dog Bite Injuries
For most people, a dog bite injury can be a traumatic event, even if it’s just a seemingly minor bite.
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 4.7 million dog bite incidents in the country each year.
About 800,000 of these require the victim to seek medical treatment.
The most common dog bites occur on someone’s legs, hands, arms, feet, neck, and the head.
Even a seemingly minor dog bite can turn into something more serious if there are multiple treatments required and residual scarring.
It’s important to speak with a Los Angeles dog bite attorney.
Here is a look at dog bite injuries and how personal injury claims work.
Dog Bite Injuries
If you were bitten by a dog, it’s important to understand the potential seriousness of a dog bite injury. Some bites can cause tissue damage and or even permanent scarring. The most common dog bites can result in:
- Head and neck injuries
- Puncture wounds
- Face injuries
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Eye injuries
- Rabies
- Scarring
- Psychological and emotional trauma
- Infections
In rare cases, a dog bite can be fatal. Studies show that the pit bull breed is still the one responsible for the most fatal attacks in the United States.
Between 2005 and 2017, pit bulls killed 284 people, representing 66% of all fatalities.
Determining the Seriousness of a Dog Bite Injury
Immediately after suffering a dog bite, you may not be aware of what the full extent of your injuries are. Once you seek medical treatment, it will still take time to determine how well your injuries resolve and what future medical treatments you may need to make a full recovery. There are numerous variables that you can’t answer right away. These include:
- The risk of developing an infection after you’ve been bitten
- Will a deep bite wound heal without getting stitches
- Is there a chance the dog had rabies
- What options there are in the event that a bite wound turns into a disfiguring scar
- What type of future care will you need— this can include physical therapy, surgery, etc.
- Is there a chance the pain in your limbs won’t subside
It’s crucial to follow all of your doctors’ orders and keep all follow-up medical appointments. You shouldn’t treat a serious wound on your own, nor should you attempt to handle your case alone.
Retaining a Los Angeles dog bite attorney can make a huge difference in getting the compensation you deserve.
It’s not uncommon to have people attempt to resolve a dog bite injury without representation and settle the case too soon. Later they find out there is scarring, or they need surgery.
However, if you settle your case before knowing whether surgery is required, you are out of luck. You cannot go back and ask for more money if you signed a release of all claims.
This is why having a skilled Los Angeles dog bite attorney on your side is so important. Your attorney will make sure the case doesn’t resolve until you have a clear picture of what the case is valued at.
Strict Liability in California
In California, the law mandates strict liability for dog bites. This means the owner of a dog who bites someone is liable for the victim’s injuries even if the owner’s dog has never bitten anyone before and the owner did nothing wrong.
Many other states have a one bite rule which states the owner is typically only liable for a dog
Retaining a Los Angeles Dog Bite Attorney
If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, it’s important to contact an experienced Los Angeles dog bite attorney right away.
At Starpoint Law, our attorneys specialize in helping victims recover damages after being bit by a dog. Contact our office today to schedule a consultation and let one of our skilled personal injury attorneys assist you in getting the compensation you deserve.
Aidin Ghavimi
Aidin is a partner at Starpoint LC, Attorneys at Law, and focuses on personal injury and employment law cases in and around Southern California. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the Loyola School of Law and his Bachelor’s from USC. Aidin’s primary goal is to bring justice to his clients and to ensure they are able to move on with their lives after a serious injury.
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