Dogs are beloved by many—and for good reason: they provide companionship, love and friendship to their owners and those around them. But, there are still times when a dog may be irritated, improperly trained, or scared and it can result in injuries such as dog bites and attacks. Unfortunately, dog bites are more common than one may think, so it’s important to always remain cautious around animals you don’t know and to never put your face or hands in their face.
It’s also smart to understand what can come of a dog bite. Many people may brush off the injury and never go to a hospital or doctor to get it checked out. This is usually a big mistake as dog bites and attacks can lead to serious health concerns. Here, we discuss three types of injuries caused by a dog bite.
Broken Bones
While it’s unlikely that a dog bite will lead to a broken bone on its own, it is likely that after a dog bite, a person may fall over, be victim to a more severe attack or trip and fall while trying to get away from the dog. This leads to broken or sprained bones and injuries that may require surgery, a cast or an emergency room visit.
Rabies
Rabies is a disease we are often told about but never experience ourselves. We habitually associate rabies with nocturnal rodents who roam our trash cans after we turn off our lights, but rabies is also very common with dogs, specifically stray dogs. Contracting rabies is easy—one must simply come into contact with the dogs’ saliva to be infected—and can lead to extensive health issues and even death if not treated in time. Even if you do not believe the dog who bit you had rabies, it is still important that you make sure with a doctor just in case. If a doctor is unsure if you contracted rabies or not, they will usually treat you proactively just in case since waiting to get your rabies treated can lead to death.
Emotional Scars
A dog bite can be traumatizing, no matter our age or love for dogs. For children, getting bit by a dog can lead to a lifetime of fear and the inability to be close to animals. For adults, it can cause emotional scarring and trauma such as PTSD that can follow them throughout their lives. Many people experience lack of sleep, nightmares, sweating and panic attacks after a traumatic event such as a dog attack and may need the help of a therapist or psychologist to get through it.
If you have been attacked or bitten by a dog, the first thing you need to do is go to the hospital. Many people fear that a dog will have to be put down following a bite, so if the bite is from their own dog or a dog they know, they fail to get their injury checked out. This leads to prolonged health issues and the possibility of allowing the dog to bite another person. If you were seriously injured by a dog, it’s important that you take the right steps to ensure that your medical bills are paid for, no matter how extensive.
The attorneys at Stewart & Stewart love animals, but we also know how important it is so keep our animals safe and well-trained so they do not lash out and bite other humans. If a dog does do this, the owners should be held liable for their inaction and negligence. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get through your injuries and receive the compensation you rightly deserve. Give us a call at 1-800-33-33-LAW or visit our website for more information.