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Home / Blog / Blog / How to Recover Compensation for Dog Bite Scarring 

March 6, 2024 - Blog, Child dog bites

How to Recover Compensation for Dog Bite Scarring 

Table of Contents

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  • What Factors Determine the Likelihood of Scarring?
    • Infection
    • The victim’s age
    • The location of the dog bite
    • Tissue damage
    • Initial Treatment
  • Evidence Required in Dog Bite Scarring Cases
    • Visual Evidence
    • Plastic Surgeon Notes
  • The Role of a Dog Bite Lawyer in Scarring Settlements
  • Put 40 Years of Dog Bite Litigation Experience Behind Your Case

Recent data from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma found reconstructive surgeries associated with dog bites were one of the top five most common reconstructive procedures performed by plastic surgeons. The impact of reconstructive surgery and the management of dog bite scarring requires bite victims to undergo often intensive surgical treatments and ongoing psychological care.

By understanding your rights as a dog bite victim, you can recover compensation for the devastating financial cost and the personal impact of scarring on your day-to-day life. This guide provides insights on recovering compensation for dog bite attack scarring.

What Factors Determine the Likelihood of Scarring?

Many assume a smaller dog bite is unlikely to leave a scar. However, there are multiple factors other than the initial aggression of the attack or the size of the dog, that can impact the chance of a bite causing scarring.

The data shows the following factors are closely correlated with dog bite scarring:

Infection

Infected dog bites are more likely to leave a scar as the tissue cannot heal effectively, causing

permanent damage to the surrounding skin.

The victim’s age

Your age and general health impact your body’s ability to resist dog bite scarring. Children with developing tissue and immune systems are more likely to suffer dog bite scars than adults, while seniors with thinner skin are also at risk of severe scarring.

The location of the dog bite

The location of the dog bite on the body is a critical factor in the healing process. The thinner skin on the face and neck is more likely to scar after a bite that wounds the arms or legs.

Tissue damage

Tissue damage and bite severity are the crucial factors behind dog bite scarring and the associated cost and timeline for treatment. If you suffer a severe dog bite with deep tissue damage, your body will be unable to form new clear skin, leaving substantial scar tissue. The severity of the attack can also influence the size and shape of the scar.

Initial Treatment

Dog bite victims can often reduce the extent of scarring after an attack by undergoing hospital treatment immediately. Specialist trauma doctors can neatly stitch wounds to minimize scarring.

Evidence Required in Dog Bite Scarring Cases

Visual Evidence

Clear and compelling visual evidence is crucial for your dog bite scarring settlement. Providing the insurance company with powerful visual proof of your injuries with medical documentation and other background details can help strengthen your claim’s value.

Visual evidence of dog bite scarring might include:

Photos from the Day of the Attack

Collect any photos you have from the day of the attack. The photographs should show your wound before and after medical care to prove the damage.

Photos Showing Scar Progress

If your scar has already developed in the weeks after the attack, you can show how the skin has changed over time. Show the scarring from various angles and in varying levels of light.

Plastic Surgeon Notes

Notes from your plastic surgeon will place significant weight behind your claim for dog bite scarring settlements. The medical documentation should cover their initial evaluation and any subsequent visits to their office and should also include diagnostics such as x-rays from your appointments.

Your specialist’s initial notes and prognosis for the scarring after potential treatment can help further lend credibility to a higher-value dog bite claim if they foresee a significant impact on your day-to-day life.

The Role of a Dog Bite Lawyer in Scarring Settlements

The subjective nature of analyzing the total impact of a dog bite scar and the complexity of New Jersey’s dog bite laws place dog bite victims at a disadvantage when facing insurance companies and their legal teams. Dog bite lawyers, such as David Cowhey, help tilt the balance in your favor during dog bite scarring cases.

Your lawyer will help compile evidence and counter any arguments from the dog owner or their insurance company.

David Cowhey, for example, was able to win a Burlington County, NJ woman with facial injuries and scarring a $225,000 settlement for her dog bite claim despite the defense alleging the victim was trespassing. This defense strategy, as with claiming provocation, is a common tactic of the insurance companies and their legal teams. Working with a skilled dog bite attorney can help overcome common defense strategies and secure a fair settlement for the trauma, medical costs, and income loss associated with dog attacks.

Put 40 Years of Dog Bite Litigation Experience Behind Your Case

New Jersey dog bite lawyer David Cowhey is a proud advocate for dog bite victims and their families. His unrelenting commitment to justice and decades of legal experience make him your best choice of dog bite lawyer for compensation in your dog bite scar case. He and his team offer a free, no-obligation dog bite case review to help begin the process.

Call 1 (609) 804-5107 today or book online to confirm your case review.

I’ve been bitten by a dog

Talk to The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer, New Jersey's most experienced and successful dog bite attorney.

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Dave was awesome helping me through the nightmare world of insurance claims after my daughter was attacked by a neighbors dog. Dave is very friendly, always available and extremally knowledgeable and connected to this process. I highly recommend you call him about your case,

John L.

David Cowhey, Esq. did a great job for my daughter, who had been bit by a dog and left with a scar on her leg. He is an extremely competent and responsive attorney. The whole process was very easy and he negotiated a great settlement! We are very happy. Highly recommend his professional services!!

J S

My experience with David Cowhey was amazing, he is a very knowledgeable and helpful lawyer. I got bit by a dog and it left a very noticeable scar on my leg and David was great to have on my side. He’s very easy to work with, would definitely recommend if you’re going through the same thing!

Michaela S.

Dave is so professional. My daughter was 6 when she was attacked by a friend of the family dog. I contacted Dave’s office and spoke with his secretary. She was so friendly and asked questions that made me feel comfortable. I was amazed by how fast the service was and everything was easy to understand. Dave made sure my daughter was compensated for her injuries and along with pain & suffering. There couldn’t be a more perfect choice but that’s because God helped me choose this great lawyer! He did an excellent job!!! She is 7 now and We are now able to move on better because of the help of Dave. Pick this lawyer!! I PROMISE YOU WONT REGRET ANYTHING AT ALL‼️ Thank you Dave!

Nieja M,

My entire experience with Dave and his team was 5 stars. They specialize in one thing, and this experience taught me why you want an attorney who specializes. Dave's knowledge, experience, and confidence is what made things go smoothly and quickly. Professional and quick responses always. If someone was bitten by a dog I recommend this guy, he will get you what you deserve.

Morgan K.

My wife got bit by a dog last spring; she immediately received medical care and we made a police report- all within 2 hours. Shortly thereafter, we decided to choose Attorney David to represent her. He walked us through the process. It is much more comfortable knowing that his practice only involves dog bites. He knows his stuff! We have just received notice that a fair settlement has been reached. If you have been bitten by a dog, my wife and I would highly recommend David Cowhey for an attorney. Thank you to David and his professional staff!

David D.

My 8 year old son was bitten by a neighborhood dog, leaving permanent scars on his abdomen. I immediately contacted David Cowhey. He explained the process very clearly and made it very easy for us to come to a fair settlement for my son. He was a perfect advocate for us, and he is very compassionate for the victim. We are very pleased with the hard work David has done for our son.

Stephanie D.

Lawyer Dave Cowhey (& his office) helped my wife, son and me immensely over the past 15 months. He is tremendously professional, responsive and proactive, as well as being, a great attorney. Thanks to Dave, we are now able to put our 'incident' behind us. I highly recommend his services - he will work hard and long for you to get you the settlement you deserve.

Seth K G

My experience with Dave and his law firm was wonderful. While I was nervous to start the process of something that I knew nothing about, he was extremely helpful and explained everything clearly and concisely. He answered all of my questions - day or night, weekday or weekend, and made sure I was comfortable at each step. I would highly recommend Dave and his firm!

Ariella L.

I absolutely loved my entire time of working with with Dave. He always kept my best interest in mind and made sure that I was taking care of. He was amazing at communicating all steps in the process with me, and never hesitated to answer any of my questions. Would highly recommend!

Amanda G.

Dave was extremely responsive and guided me thru the process with compassion. His specialization in dog bites really helped facilitate the process. He knows all the insurance issues and, despite the backlog of cases due to Covid, was able to settle my claim for more than we anticipated as well as earlier. I would definitely recommend Dave as I felt comfortable that I was getting the best advice every step of the way!

Kristen J.

Dave did extremely well by me and my family. He was nothing short of professional and assisted us through the entire process. I called him the day of the dog bite, and I followed his instructions to the "T". Him, and his staff, were knowledgeable on every step of the process. From medical advise, to advise on setting up our structured settlement for our child. If you need help right away, don't wait.... call him asap!!!

William W.

Dave was amazing, he handled my case with care , answered every question , email and helped me to understand the steps we needed to take. I had never dealt with a lawsuit before so of course I was nervous and thought I was going to get ripped off but nope. He was very professional and attentive. Hope I never need him again but should I ever need a lawyer for a dog bite i'm calling him first!

Neyia W.

Dave Cowhey was amazing during our case which was very personal in the sense that involved family members. He was candid and professional and always gave us his honest opinion to all our questions and concerns. He's a family man and understands how upsetting the situations are at hand. I wish he was a lawyer for everything honestly, he was fantastic! Highly recommended Dave and his team.

Courtney R.

My one year old dog and I were viciously attacked by a pit bull. I didn’t want to file a law suit initially until I realized the severity of the injuries both mentally and physically. Most lawyers are all about the money not for the justice and compassion of the victim. I am blessed to have found David. He was our hero who understood our situation was efficient knowledgeable and above all sincerely compassionate

Karol M.

Dave was hands on and always available. Steered me through the entire process and helped cover my medical costs and compensation for my scar and injury. Went over and Beyond and made me feel at ease and confident in a positive outcome. Would recommend to all.

COACH B

Honest, fast, responsive and professional. Great experience working with Mr. Cowhey and I highly recommend to handle any dog bite case.

Lilian P.

We contacted Dave when our 5 year old son was attacked by our neighbor's dog, resulting in deep wounds (and now scars) on his face and arm. Dave was extremely knowledgeable/helpful from the start, explaining how everything would work, and he was always available via phone/text if we had questions come up throughout the process. He always gave us all of the options/routes we could take and let us decide what was the best move for our family. He advocated for the best outcome for our son and always kept us in the loop. We were able to settle in a friendly hearing with the homeowner-insurance company, which was simple and straightforward, thanks to all of Dave's hard work behind-the-scenes. We definitely could not have navigated this process ourselves and we are very thankful for the help of Dave and his team!

Elisa H.

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Talk to The New Jersey Dog Bite Lawyer, New Jersey's most experienced and successful dog bite attorney.

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or call us at

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