TL;DR: Dog bite injuries can cause lasting physical and emotional trauma. Victims may suffer from infections, nerve damage, PTSD, and scarring, often requiring costly treatment. Understanding your rights and seeking legal help is key to financial recovery.
- Dog bites often cause hidden or delayed injuries
- Children are especially vulnerable
- Common injuries: lacerations, infections, nerve damage, PTSD
- Long-term effects may include lost income and ongoing care
- Certain injuries yield higher settlements
- Legal help can secure rightful compensation in Texas
Dog bites can look minor on the surface. But weeks or even months later, damages can still be discovered. A bite that just seems like it’s ‘merely a puncture wound’ can hide nerve damage that never fully heals, which could leave you with numbness, weakness, or chronic pain for the rest of your life.
That’s why injuries like these are so hard to put a price on immediately.
The wounds aren’t always visible, either. Many victims find themselves dealing with anxiety, nightmares, or a lasting fear of dogs long after skin heals.
What are the most common types of dog bites that can cause injuries, and what compensation may a victim receive in court? In this blog, we’ll aim to help victims make informed decisions about legal action following an attack. Continue reading to learn more about dog bite injuries from an experienced dog bite attorney.
Why Dog Bite Injuries Are So Dangerous
Dog bites are dangerous for two primary reasons.
First, because the force of a dog’s bite can range from around 200 to over 700 pounds per square inch depending on the breed. This force means it is incredibly easy to break skin and possibly break bones. A powerful dog can also damage nerves, muscles, tendons, and other delicate structures.
It’s possible for some of the stronger dogs to sever digits or entire limbs.
Second, a dog’s mouth is full of bacteria. When introduced to an open wound, sustaining an infection from a dog bite is not only possible, but likely. Not only can infection be deadly, but it can also cause complications and significantly lengthen the road to recovery.
Even a single bite can result in deep puncture wounds or broken bones. Likewise, dog attacks can be traumatic, triggering anxiety and psychological responses. Ultimately, a dog bite has the potential to cause severe physical and mental damage.
Immediate medical attention is critical. You’ll reduce the risk of nerve damage, permanent scarring, or psychological trauma like PTSD from a dog bite.
Dog Bite Injuries in Children
Children less than nine years old suffer the most dog bite and attack injuries. Specifically, children under six are at a greater risk of suffering the most severe injuries. Their smaller statures make it nearly impossible to defend against an aggressive animal.
Dog attacks involving children commonly involve the head, neck, and face. A dog bite on a child’s face can lead to severe trauma and permanent disfigurement. Young children are also likely to experience emotional distress following a dog attack.
Common Types of Dog Bite Injuries
Dog bite injuries can vary greatly. Factors impacting severity include the breed and size of the dog, as well as the location of the attack.
Some of the most frequently reported injuries include:
- Lacerations from a dog bite. Deep tears in the skin and tissue that often require stitches or surgery.
- Nerve damage from a dog bite. When the teeth puncture deep enough, they can damage nerves, especially in areas like the hands or arms. Nerve damage in the hand from a dog bite can lead to chronic pain or loss of mobility.
- Broken bones and crushed tissue. Larger dogs can easily fracture small bones, particularly in the hands, wrists, and arms.
- Severe infections. Capnocytophaga, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. Infection from a dog bite can spread quickly and become life-threatening if not treated promptly.
- Eye injuries: Especially in small children, where bites to the face can impair vision.
- Scarring and disfigurement. Often requiring reconstructive surgery or long-term dermatological care.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from a dog bite. Victims may experience anxiety, nightmares, or fear of animals long after the physical wounds have healed.
- Amputations or loss of limb function. In the most severe cases, bites can sever tendons or even entire body parts.
Long-Term Effects of Dog Bite Injuries
The aftermath of a dog bite doesn’t always end with physical recovery. Nerve damage and psychological trauma can require ongoing medical and therapeutic support.
In many cases, victims face extended periods of missed work. Recovery may involve costly, time-consuming rehabilitation. As a result, many victims experience an overall diminished quality of life.
Seeking Dog Bite Compensation for Injuries
In Texas, victims have the right to seek dog bite compensation under a few different legal theories: if the dog had previously shown signs of aggression and the dog’s owner knew about it, if the owner was negligent in controlling the dog even without a prior bite history, or if the owner violated a local leash or containment law.
Certain injuries tend to result in larger settlements. Settlements tend to be most substantial when injuries require extensive treatment or lead to long-term disability.
At O’Hara Law Firm, we’ve helped clients recover substantial compensation. We’ve often recovered six figures or more for the types of injuries discussed in this blog.
Every case is different, but your recovery shouldn’t come out of your own pocket. A Houston dog bite attorney can help you navigate the process.
Talk to a Houston Dog Bite Attorney
At O’Hara Law Firm, we’ve secured confidential six-figure and seven-figure settlements for dog bite victims throughout Texas including heartbreaking cases involving children. If your child was bitten, our attorneys handle dog bite cases involving children and can help you pursue the compensation they deserve.
Now, we’re ready to fight for you. Contact our Houston personal injury attorney team today for a free consultation. We work on contingency, so you don’t pay unless we win.