THE DANGER OF DOG BITES

Dogs are wonderful.  They provided faithful, loving companionship to the individuals and families that care for them.  But even the best dogs can be dangerous because every dog has the potential to bite.  In Maricopa County, Arizona last year, there were over 5,700 reported dog bites.  For dogs, bites are a form of communication.  A dog might bite out fear, out of pain, to defend her pups, to say “no” to too much pestering or for a variety of other reasons unknown to us.

Children are especially vulnerable to dog bites because they often do not know how to approach dogs other than face to face.  And children’s precious faces are often height level with a dog’s dangerous teeth.

Top dog bite concerns are as follows:

1) Infection

Even minor bites can develop terrible infections.  We’ve had clients end up in the ICU and out of work for months due to infection. You never know what is in a dog’s saliva, so wash the bite thoroughly and consult with a doctor about getting on antibiotics

2) Wounds that won’t heal

Dogs’ teeth can cause deep puncture wounds.  These deep wounds sometimes have trouble healing.  Many bite victims need to go to wound clinics to help the bite heal properly.

3) Nerve Damage

A common bite location is the hand, because people reach in with their hands to try to protect themselves or others from an angry dog. Damage to the nerves in the hand may seriously impact one’s use of it.

4) Disfigurement

Little children who are often bit on the face can suffer terrible scarring.  Plastic surgeons may be able to perform scar revision surgery, but they often can’t remove the scar entirely.

5) Emotional trauma

Circumstances surrounding a dog bite can be very frightening and traumatic, especially for a young child.  There are great counselors available to help dog bite victims work through their residual fears.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog bite, call our law firm for more information.  We can refer you to specialists to help with all of the above concerns.  And we can help you obtain appropriate compensation from the insurance companies, so that you’ll be able to pay for your past and future medical care.

Attorney, Maren

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