Under certain conditions and with no warning, a dog can easily transform from a man’s docile and playful best friend to a violent and vicious maneater. Dog bite attacks can be devastating, leaving victims mauled to within an inch of their lives and permanently scarred and disfigured. Sadly, some dog bite attacks prove fatal, with children and the elderly being especially vulnerable to the unyielding strike of a violent canine. With help from an experienced personal injury attorney, people hurt by dogs can hold their owners responsible.  If you or someone you love has fallen victim to a dangerous dog, speak with a Media dog bite attorney right away to preserve your right to collect damages and hold the dog’s owner or others accountable for your injuries.

Dog Bite Attack Injuries

Dogs, especially dogs with strong jaws such as the American pit bull, the Rottweiler, and the German shepherd, can cause horrific biting injuries to the soft tissue on nearly any part of the body. In the case of a particularly brutal dog bite attack, it is not unheard of for a dog to bite right into the bone, sometimes crushing bones with the sheer force of its jaws. Deep cuts, lacerations, and bruising are also common, with major blood loss being a contributing factor in many mauling events and deaths due to dog bite attacks.

Dog bite attacks also lead to knock-down injuries in most cases. These injuries occur when the dog literally knocks the victim to the ground in an effort to overtake the person, essentially making the victim his prey. Broken bones and other knock-down injuries are commonly seen in dog bite attacks.

While the physical injuries that are inflicted by a vicious dog may lead to lifelong impairments and disabilities, the emotional and mental scars left behind often never heal. Animal attacks, especially savage ones, can lead to a lifetime of nightmares, phobias, and other mental trauma, including PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). A dog bite lawyer in Media could request damages for both medical and emotional trauma.

Damages in Dog Bite Attacks

When you are attacked by a dog, your injuries may be severe, and you may be unable to work for at least the foreseeable future. This makes it especially important to seek maximum compensation for your injuries from the at-fault party. Usual damages for dog bite attack claims include:

  • Medical bills: This includes emergent care and future care. It may also include future reconstructive or cosmetic surgeries.
  • Lost income: Current loss of income and future lost wages are both considered in most dog bite claims. If your permanent disability resulted from injuries sustained during the attack, it is not uncommon for Media, PA, dog bite attorneys to ask for compensation for the reduced income your household will receive because of your diminished capacity to earn a living.
  • Pain and suffering: Oftentimes, negotiations between insurers and plaintiffs result in lump-sum payouts for pain and suffering due to the devastating nature of dog bite injuries.
  • Wrongful death: If you are a spouse, child, parent, or other relatives whose loved one’s life ended prematurely due to a fatal dog bite attack, then you may be able to collect damages with a wrongful death claim.

A dog bite attorney in Media could help make a complete list of damages and ask for compensation.

Help for Dog Bite Victims

If you are struggling in the days, weeks, and months following a dog bite attack, you are not alone. A Media dog bite lawyer with the Dan Doyle Law Group are here to help you get your life back on track by filing a claim against the at-fault dog owner and his insurer. You can contact us for a free consultation of your case.