Many children love dogs, and in most cases, the feeling is mutual. The challenge with allowing children to interact with a dog that you are not familiar with is that occasionally, dog bites can happen. Unlike adults, children often don’t have enough experience with animals to recognize the warning signs of an unfriendly dog. While an adult can see that a dog is baring their teeth, backing up, or that the fur on the back of their neck is standing up, children oftentimes overlook these signs and advance towards an aggressive or scared animal.
The Dangers of a Dog Bite
Young children usually don’t have the tools to understand how to mentally separate a friendly dog from an unfriendly one. In the rare instance that a dog bites your child, the aftermath can be devastating. Some of the notable dangers of a dog bite include:
- Infection – A dog bite can quickly become infected if it is not cleaned and treated right away. With a large wound, the chance of infection is even greater.
- Muscle tears – This is a common injury in dog bite cases. Muscular tears can be debilitating and often will take a long time to heal.
- Scarring – A large dog bite can leave a scar that never fully heals.
- Emotional distress and PTSD – the aftermath of a bite can leave a child with a tremendous fear of dogs. In some cases, even a barking dog will cause distress.
- Death – The danger of death is real when it comes to a dog bite. Certain breeds, especially, have incredibly strong jaws that can severely injure or even kill a child.
Dealing With a Dog Bite
If your child is bitten by a dog, the first thing you will want to do is check with the owner to make sure the dog is vaccinated. Specifically, ask to see proof of rabies vaccination. Next, seek immediate medical attention. Your doctor will proceed with a careful examination of all of the wounds and determine the proper course of action to treat the injuries. Be sure to speak about the incident at length with your child to gauge if they are carrying an emotional scar as well. A child therapist can help them work through any newfound fears they’ve developed after the dog bite.
Contact a Skilled Dog Bite Attorney Today
If your child was bitten by a dog, the physical and mental recovery process can be incredibly difficult. There is no specific timeline that indicates how long it takes to heal from this type of injury, and it’s important to understand your child’s rights to just compensation. The experienced lawyers at Alpert Schreyer, LLC have worked with clients suffering from dog bites and understand how painful these injuries can be. We will help you through the entire process of navigating a claim. Insurance companies are notorious for offering the lowest possible amount in a settlement, and we will fight for your just compensation for your child’s damages. Contact us online or call us today at 301-381-2655 to schedule a free initial consultation where we will review the details of your case.