Did you know that almost five million people get bitten by dogs every year? According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), a majority of people who suffer very serious or fatal dog bites are children, but severe dog bites can affect people of all ages. Only a percentage of those five million dog bite victims actually requires medical attention, and many dog bite injuries are relatively minor.
In some cases, dog bite victims can even successfully treat their wounds on their own without assistance from a healthcare provider. However, in severe dog bite cases, not only is medical attention necessary, but it will also be critical to gather evidence to support your dog bite claim.
If you are bitten by a dog, or if your child is bitten by a dog, you should consider the following steps after the dog attack in order to preserve your ability to file a claim.
Do What You Can to Stop the Bleeding
The first and most important thing to do after a dog bite of any level of severity, according to WebMD, is to do everything you can to stop the bleeding. You should apply direct pressure to the wound—either until the wound stops bleeding, or until emergency medical responders arrive or you are able to get to an emergency department for treatment. Blood loss is often one of the most serious results of a dog bite, and can be one of the reasons that dog bites are fatal.
Document the Scene Where the Dog Bite Occurred
If you are able to do so, it will be essential to document the scene where the dog bite occurred. If you can, or if you can ask someone else to do so, take photographs of the dog bite injury, and obtain as much information as you can about the dog and the dog owner, including the animal’s vaccination record and whether it has ever been aggressive in the past.
Much of this information will be important when it is time to file a lawsuit, but your doctor will also need to know some of this information in order to determine what kinds of medications you might require.
Get Medical Attention
Medical attention is often necessary for recovering from a dog bite, but it can also be critical for building a strong case against the dog owner. You will want to have medical records that reveal your wounds resulted from a dog attack.
Seek Advice from a Dog Bite Lawyer
The process for filing a dog bite claim can be complicated and, in some cases, contentious—especially if the dog owner is a friend, neighbor, or even a family member. By speaking with an experienced dog bite attorney, you can determine whether you have a valid claim, and you can learn more about your options for seeking financial compensation.
Contact My Firm for Assistance with Your Dog Bite Claim
Dog bites can be devastating. So many dog bites happen in homes where people are not expecting an animal attack, and often in situations where they know the dog. Yet for a variety of reasons, dogs can bite, and young children frequently sustain the most severe injuries. Dog bites also happen when people encounter dogs they do not know on the sidewalk or in the neighborhood.
Just because a dog is with an owner does not mean that it is friendly or that it will not bite. If you or your child got hurt in an animal attack, I will do everything I can to help you seek financial compensation. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Give me a call today at 877.944.4373 for assistance with your dog bite claim.
