Undoubtedly, a dog is a man’s best friend. However, one downside of canines is that they can bite, causing physical harm to humans. In 2022, nearly 5,300 postal employees were attacked by dogs. As a result, letter carriers receive training to avoid dog bites. Yet, despite this, they can’t always escape such attacks and often need emergency care to treat their wounds.
Therefore, everyone, including dog parents, must be aware of the inconvenience caused by dog attacks, the potential injuries, and the steps to prevent them. To learn more, keep reading this article.
Nature of Dog Attacks in the United States
The World Animal Foundation, in June 2024, listed the top five states in the U.S. affected by fatal dog bites. The states are California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. Also, recent incidents of dog bites reveal that both stray and pet dogs can attack and bite people around them.
For instance, President Biden’s dog, Commander, a German Shepherd, bit the US Secret Service agents numerous times. Between October 2022 and July 2023, close to 24 biting incidents occurred, which caused chaos for the bodyguards at the White House. The Secret Service members were bitten on their waist, wrist, chest, forearm, and shoulder by Commander. First Lady Jill Biden, in a statement to CNN, said that they tried several measures to solve this issue, but nothing worked.
In April 2024, abc7chicago.com reported that officers in McHenry County, a Chicago suburb, were searching for a dangerous pit bull on the loose. This happened after a dog fight where a sheriff’s deputy and other people were hurt by the dog. Nearby residents were asked to stay in their homes to avoid attacks. A resident, Jerry O’Rourke shared that similar dog attacks had been taking place, but this time, he heard gunshots.
Dog attacks aren’t always predictable. If injured, you should get treated at the earliest. In situations like the dog attack in McHenry County, you should also consult the best personal injury lawyer in Chicago. They can help you file a lawsuit to cover your lost income, medical bills, punitive damages, and pain and suffering resulting from the dog bite.
Types of Dog Bite Injuries
Knowing the type of dog bite injury you have will help you in your legal battle. It will enable you to share your exact suffering with a lawyer supported by medical documents.
The common dog bite injuries are:
- Abrasions: These include scrapes and grazes that don’t penetrate beyond the epidermis layer of the skin. You might face scarring instead of excessive bleeding.
- Lacerations: These are deep tears and cuts in the skin that penetrate the epidermis layer and reach the blood vessels, nerves, bones, and muscles. You might experience excessive bleeding and need stitches to treat it.
- Crushing Injuries: These typically occur when you are attacked by a large dog. They can exert ample force with their jaws and can break, fracture, or crush your bones, and injure your soft tissues and muscles.
Other injuries include punctures, avulsions, scarring, and tetanus. Also, rabies is a serious infection that you can suffer from after a dog bites you. Hence, after you’ve been bitten by a canine, find out whether the dog had received a rabies vaccine. If not, you must rush to your doctor as soon as possible to prevent the infection from developing.
After receiving the required medical assistance, you must seek legal help. Many victims don’t do so because they feel they have to incur high expenses for it. TorHoerman Law states that personal injury lawyers who represent dog bite cases work on a contingency fee basis. That means you can pay them after receiving your legal compensation. This can reduce your financial stress to some extent.
Preventive Steps to Follow
The Dog People, a leading network of dog walkers and pet sitters, advises to never assume a dog is harmless. It includes dogs that look amicable and the ones you’ve become acquainted with. Dr. Christine Calder, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, said that fear and anxiety are two of the main reasons why most dogs bite.
Therefore, it’s better to exercise caution and follow safety measures such as:
- Refrain from bringing your face near a pooch’s face or bending over them.
- Do not make any erratic or jerky movements near a dog, as it can make them nervous and bite you.
- Do not greet a dog with your arms outstretched. Such gestures might make them feel confrontational and cause an attack.
- Ask a dog owner if you can pet it. If they seem uncomfortable or hesitant, consider it as ‘no’. Chances are, they are awkward to admit that their pet might respond aggressively.
Last but not least, if you find an unfamiliar dog exhibiting aggressive or fearful behavior, remain calm. It’s better not to run away or move abruptly, as it can make them chase and bite you. Avoid screaming and making direct eye contact. When you respond this way, the dog will gradually lose its interest in you.
Thus, everyone loves a friendly pooch around them at home or when walking on the street. However, the incidents of dog attacks are appalling, as they can lead to infections and severe bruises. Therefore, it is always best to exercise caution to prevent any dog attacks. If, despite that, you face a dog bite, seek both medical and legal help.
