Dog Bite Injuries
Stockton Personal Injury Attorney
Every year, over 4 million dog bites occur in the US.
Though people may think of dog bites happening in an unfamiliar outdoor location with an unleashed an unknown dog, more than half of dog bites occur at home with familiar pets. The likelihood of incurring a dog bite increases with the number of dogs in a home. When a home has two or more dogs, adults are five times more likely to be bitten than individuals without any dogs.
Who is at risk?
Prevention
how to interact with dogs
- Do not disturb a dog that is sleeping, eating, or caring for puppies.
- Be sure to ask a new dog’s owner if you may pet it.
- Do not pet a dog before inviting it to smell the back of your hand.
- Do not approach a dog in a sudden manner.
- Do not make sudden movements or loud noises when interacting with a timid dog.
- Never let a small child play with a dog unattended, especially an unfamiliar dog.
When approached by an unfamiliar dog with whom you do not wish to interact, use the following tactics:
- Stay calm! – Do not make any sudden movements or panic. Dogs can sense emotions such as fear and tension. Do not run away! Dogs are much faster than humans and even if the dog had not intended to attack, a running target enhances their hunting instincts.
- Avoid eye contact with the dog – Maintaining eye contact with dogs is interpreted as a display of dominance. This may provoke the dog.
- Speak deeply and firmly – Tell the dog “no,” or “go home.” If the dog is trained, it may recognize these words and react to commands. Do not shout or make loud noises. This should be an instruction, not an attack.
- Do not stand facing the dog – Directly standing in front of the dog face forward may be interpreted as an act of aggression. Try to keep your body turned as much to the side as possible.
- Slowly make a protective stance – Slowly and subtly, raise your hands to your neck with your elbows in towards your body. Should the dog attack, the neck is the last place you want to be exposed.
- Wait for the dog to move – If you stay still long enough and avoid eye contact, the dog may decide you are not a threat and not worth bothering.
- Curl into a ball – In the unfortunate instance that a dog attacks and knocks you over, curl into a ball with your head tucked in and your hands over your ears and neck.
Even if you do all of the steps above, dogs can still attack you. If that’s the case, reach out to a Stockton personal injury attorney to seek compensation for any pain and suffering you experienced.
What should you do if bitten?
- Wash the wound with soap and water.
- Apply antibiotics and bandage with clean dressings.
- Contact the owner to see if the dog is up to date on its rabies shots. It is not always easy to tell when a pet has rabies. If the dog is not up to date, see a medical professional as soon as possible and let them know you may have been exposed to rabies.
- Seek a medical professional if: the wound is deep, you haven’t had a tetanus shot in 5 years, the dog is unfamiliar to you and the skin was broken, your wound seems infected, such as if it is swollen, red, warm, or painful long after being bitten, or you develop a fever
Dogs have always been a “man’s best friend” but unfortunately, can be extremely dangerous for a variety of reasons. Their breed, natural tendencies and environments are only some factors affecting why a dog would attack or not. Regardless, it’s important to take the best steps you can to prevent a dog attack and contact a Stockton law firm who can fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Speak to a Stockton Personal Injury Attorney if You’ve Been Attacked by a Dog
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Stockton Personal Injury Attorney
It also doesn’t matter if you did everything you could to restrain your dog or to protect the public from the dog like putting up fences and signs. The few exceptions in which you would not be liable is if a trespasser, someone who is on your property without your permission, a veterinarian who’s treating your dog or someone who provokes the dog such as hitting it with her hand or stick is bitten by your dog.
Because California has strict liability, if you have been bitten by a dog and it does not fall under one of the exceptions, you will be entitled to legal compensation. Even if the person handling the dog is not the dog’s owner, they may still be liable for your injuries if they are aware of previous dangerous actions from the dog or if they are negligent while taking care of the dog.
Make sure to contact an experienced attorney in Stockton, CA who can ensure you get compensated the way you deserve. As a dog owner, it is important you have an understanding of when and how the laws may make you responsible and liable for injuries and damages caused by your dog and how you may be able to protect yourself from financial ruin if your dog bites someone.