What Dog Bite Injury Attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange County Have to Say

What dog bite injury attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange County have to say about keeping you informed as to cutting edge legal resources on animal attacks across the State of California. This article will help you understand the threat of dog attacks on humans and the rights, duties and obligations of ownership of dogs like the Bull Mastiff, Rottweiler, Pit Bull and even those snappy little poodles.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1994, the most recent year for which published data are available, an estimated 4.7 million dog bites occurred in the United States, and approximately 799,700 persons required medical care. Of an estimated 334,000 patients treated for dog bites in emergency rooms in 1994, approximately 6,000 were hospitalized. Newer reports indicate that in 2001, an estimated 368,245 persons were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for nonfatal dog bite-related injuries. Children between the ages of 5 to 9 were the ones most affected by dog bite injuries. To reduce the number of dog bite-related injuries, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and persons with canine pets should practice responsible pet ownership.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention document that a chained dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than an unchained dog. Insurance companies report that one-third of all liability claims on homeowners' insurance policies are attributed to dog bites. The insurance industry paid out more than $1 billion in dog-bite claims in 1998 alone, according to the Western Insurance Information Service. The majority of dog bites to adults are usually to the areas below the waist followed by bites to the head, face and neck.

For children, three-quarters of dog bite injuries are to the areas around the face. Common circumstances in which children and adults were bitten are revealed in the doctors' comments related to the treatment of the injuries. Some examples among children included an 18 month-old girl who was attacked by the family dog in her family's backyard. She sustained an open depressed skull fracture, mandible fractures, as well as cuts to one of her ears and part of a cheek; a 4 year-old boy bitten on the lip by a dog that was guarding her pups; and a 3 year-old girl bitten on the face when she tried to take food away from the family dog. Among adults, a 34 year-old man sustained an avulsion laceration to

his left thumb while trying to break up a fight between his dogs; a 27 year-old woman who sustained multiple puncture-type bite wounds to her forearm, thumb, and chest while trying to help her dog, after it was hit by a car; and a 75 year-old woman who was bitten while she was trying to keep her dog from attacking an Emergency Medical Technician who was called to transport her from her home via ambulance. California law clearly states that the dog owner is strictly liable for all injuries caused by his dog, including all attacks, mauling, knock-downs, jump-ups, bites, and fatal wounds, no matter where the attack takes place or even if the dog was on a leash or not. Even if the dog was in its own yard, the is liable in for the actions of that dog. If someone owns a dog, he or she will be strictly liable for what that dog does.

When a dog bite happens to you or one of your loved ones be sure to do the following: first, get treatment for your wounds at the E.R. or walk-in clinic. If the wounds are severe, call 911 and get emergency medical treatment at the scene of the incident. Next, call law enforcement or animal control authorities and report the dog bite incident immediately. Finally, once you have the opportunity to do so, contact an experienced dog bite attorney and consult him/her as to your legal rights and possible recovery.

With dog bite injuries, reconstructive surgery is often necessary for recovery. This is necessary to correct possible disfigurement and nerve and tissue damage especially when the dog has bitten down to the bone. Emotional injuries as well as a victim's physical injuries need to be compensated for equally, not to mention the emotional trauma that can follow a victim for the rest of his or her life like nightmares, night-sweats, irritability, mood swings and depression. No matter the injury, physical, mental, or emotional, extensive future medical costs may be incurred. For this reason alone, you should contact an attorney with extensive experience in dog bite injury cases.

See what dog bite injury attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange County have to say on dog bite attacks in Orange County. Get a free consultation from a Los Angeles, Sand Diego, or Orange County dog bite lawyer now.