Dog bite

Dog bite

Dog bite losses exceed $1 billion per year, with $345 million paid by homeowner insurance policies.

Dog Bite Statistics show that

  • Men are twice as likely to be bitten by a dog as women are
  • Unaltered canines are three times more likely to bite than their spayed or neutered counterparts.
  • a dog that is chained up is almost three times more likely to bite a human being than an unchained dog (Dog bite statistics from the Center for Disease Control)
  • having a lawyer manage your case greatly increases your chances of maximizing the compensation you receive for dog bite injuries
  • Every year, more than 4 million people in the United States are bitten by dogs.

    Treatment of a Dog Bite

    For every fatal dog bite in the United States, there are 230,000 bites that are not treated by a physician.

    Dog bite treatment can include emergency room visits, hospitalization, psychological treatment and often plastic surgery. Dog bite injuries and their psychological effects can be devastating.

    You have a dog bite on your hand, foot or head, or you have a bite that is deep or gaping. Here are some things your doctor may do to treat a dog bite: Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered. If a dog that bit you appeared to be healthy at the time of the bite, it's unlikely that the animal had rabies. You need to get the first shot as soon as possible after the bite occurs.

    If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you're taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.

    How to Avoid a Dog Bite

  • Dogs should not be greeted by presenting an outstretched hand.
  • Dogs bite because they don't want you near them, or an area they maybe "protecting.
  • Dogs with histories of aggression are inappropriate in households with children.
  • Dogs that haven't been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.
  • Dogs are predators and see small kids as easy prey.
  • Dogs become protective, but that doesn't mean the previous owners didn't create this characteristic.
  • Dogs have an instinct to defend their territory, whether that is space, food or a toy.
  • Dogs bite when they are protecting something such as home, vehicle, territory, toys, food, or puppies.


    • Legal Procedures in Case of a Dog Bite

    Dog bite injuries account for thirty three percent of all homeowner's insurance liability claims.

    Dog Bite victims account for up to five percent of emergency room visits.

    The dog bite injury should be documented with photographs and diagrams when appropriate. Depending on community practices and the location of the injury, general orthopedic surgery, hand surgery or general surgery consultation may be appropriate. If a bite occurs the child should be seen by a doctor no matter how minor the injury may seem. The only question is how much money you should be awarded for your injury or loss. Your lawyer will need to carefully assess your dog bite injury case to determine what insurance coverage is available and how you can recover damages for immediate expenses such as medical care.

    		  



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