According to the 2024 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 82 million U.S. households own a pet. Of those, 58 million come home to the wagging tail of a dog. In fact, 97% of pet owners consider their pets to be a part of the family. Unfortunately, dog bites and dog attacks do occur even in dog-friendly homes so it’s important to know what to do if you are bitten by a dog.
Quick Dog Bite Facts
One of the major reasons why dogs bite is that people, especially children, don’t know how to read a dog’s body language or know the proper way to respond. Since there is no guarantee that a pet’s owner has trained or socialized his or her dog, education is essential to keeping children safe from dog bites. Some common reasons dogs bit include:
Teach kids what to do when a dog becomes unfriendly.
Kids need to know to:
Stay out of a dog’s personal space, especially when eating or sleeping.A Dog’s Body Language
Dogs express themselves, too, through body gestures and vocalizations but not all animals express themselves the same way. For one, a wagging tail could mean the animal is happy to see you; for another, it could mean the dog is anxious or nervous.
Other body language:
These behaviors could indicate the dog is feeling worried, frightened, or threatened. If the dog is not your own, it is best to let it be and walk away. No one can predict whether a dog will bite or not because of its breed or size so always focus on its behavior.
Dog bites can inflict serious damage. With kids, the majority of injuries occur to the neck and face and can result in visible scars and disfigurement. Dog bites are typically life-altering and very traumatic events.
Depending on the type of injury sustained, your child may need ongoing medical treatment such as physical or occupational therapy or even trauma counseling long after the dog bite occurred.
In most cases, a pet’s owner is liable for a pet’s actions, meaning that you may be entitled to receive compensation from the owner or his or her insurance company for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
The most common injuries include:
See: How to Treat Dog Bites and Injuries Caused by Dog Bites
Dog bites can result in long-term medical treatment, including multiple surgeries, rehabilitation and therapy, and plastic surgery, so you need an aggressive legal team familiar with the law who will negotiate a settlement ensuring all future medical care is covered.
Obtaining the assistance of a personal injury attorney will help you cover all your bases.
Dog bite incidents can be extremely traumatic for anyone, especially a young child. At Nash & Franciskato, we understand dog bite laws and negligence factors that will help you recover compensation for your child’s injuries. Contact us at (877) 284-6600 and one of our experienced staff will provide you with a free, no-obligation case review of your case.
Start Your Free Case Evaluation.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 19, 2015. It was first reviewed on March 29, 2023, and again on October 15, 2024, and re-published at this time.
