Personal Injury Lawyers for Dog Bites
Dogs are man’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean dogs don’t bite and injure man as well. Even in a dog-friendly city like San Diego, canines can still bite the hands that feed, as well as arms, legs, and faces. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, 20 percent of dog bites result in injuries that require medical attention and about 16 percent will result in wrongful death. Common dog bite injuries include deep skin wounds, bitten off fingers, infections and permanent scars.
Since 1992, the personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC have been helping people just like you deal with injuries from a dog bite in San Diego, and through our experience, we have found that dog bites can be one of the most common children’s injuries. If you are filing personal injury claim from a dog bite, our dog bite lawyers can help. Our goal is to answer any questions you may and to fight for the maximum financial settlement we can recover for your dog bite injuries.
If you or a loved one have been injured from a dog bite, we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible following the accident at 1-800-655-6585 or please click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not pay anything until we recover money on your behalf.
Who’s At Risk for Dog Bite Injuries?
1. Children
Children are more likely than adults to receive medical attention for dog bites, and children between five and nine are most likely to suffer dog bite-related injuries. The good news: recent research shows that dog bite statistics for children seems to be going down, not just in San Diego, but everywhere.
2. Adult Males
Adult males are more likely than adult females to be bitten by a dog.
3. People with dogs in their homes
If you have a dog in your home, you are also more likely to get bitten. And as the number of dogs in your home increases, so does your chances of receiving dog bites. Adults with two or more dogs in the household are five times more likely to be bitten by a dog than those living without dogs at home.
Breeds Most Likely to Cause Dog Bite Injuries
Although it is very difficult to track which breeds cause a dog bite injury, the CDC conducted a special report on fatal dog bite attacks to determine which breed was the most likely to cause wrongful death. Here are the dog breeds that caused the most wrongful deaths from 1979 until 1998 in dog bite attacks:
1. Pit Bulls
Pit Bulls have a deadly reputation and they proved it by accounting for 66 wrongful death dog bite attacks in the 20 year period of the CDC report.
2. Rottweilers
Very aggressive with territorial instincts, Rottweilers accounted for 39 wrongful death dog bite attacks.
3. German Shepherds
German Shepherds killed 17 people in dog bite attacks from 1979 to 1998.
4. Huskies
Huskies were responsible for 15 wrongful deaths due to dog attacks.
5. Alaskan Malamutes
A lesser known dog breed, Alaskan Malamutes accounted for 15 wrongful death dog bite attacks.
6. Doberman Pinschers
Doberman Pinschers are good guard dogs, but this breed attacked and killed nine people in the 20-year period of the CDC study.
How to Treat Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bite injuries can be painful and life-altering. Here are eight steps to treat dog bite injuries.
- Clean the dog bite wound immediately using soap and water along with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
- Put pressure on the dog bite to stop bleeding.
- Hold the dog bite above your heart if the wound is on your hand or arm.
- Place a clean bandage over the dog bite.
- Check the dog bite for signs of infection: unusual redness or swelling, increasing warmth in the area, red streaking, fever. See a doctor if an infection develops.
- Get a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one in five years.
- Determine if the dog has had its rabies shots. If you don’t know, the dog should be observed for 15 days.
- You should report any dog bite incident to animal control. If the dog has bitten someone else before, local San Diego authorities may need to determine if the dog is safe to be around humans.
Call us now at 1-800-655-6585 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in San Diego to find out how we can help you. We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case. There is no fee if no recovery.
