A dog that attacks but doesn’t bite can still cause significant damage. Medical bills, lost wages, emotional trauma, pain and suffering are types of compensation that may be relevant to a dog attack case. These types of damages can have a very real impact on a person’s life and in some cases, endured for a long period of time.
Understanding Why Dogs Attack
Dogs can attack because they feel threatened, to protect or guard their resources, genetics or a number of other factors. Any dog breed has the potential to become aggressive. Dog Trainer, Victoria Stilwell discusses dog aggression in this article. Any one around dogs regularly should understand dogs and their behaviours.
That aggression can turn into an attack or a dog bite depending on the circumstances. Past behaviour is not always a predicator of how the dog will behave. Owners can watch for signs that their dogs might bite and get ahead of a dog attack.
Injuries from a Dog attack
We often think of a dog bite as the only serious injury in a dog attack, but there are often other injuries. When a dog attacks, there are often multiple injuries, but a person can also have injuries that don’t come from a dog bite.
Examples of a Dog Attack with No Bite Case
- A dog jumps on a person or a child and knocks them over. This can result in head injuries, concussions, broken bones, and more.
- A dog that doesn’t bite, but scratches or uses their claws on a person that can puncture the skin; there may be risk of infection from that puncture wound.
- A dog pushes or nudges a person causing them to lose balance and fall down the stairs or off a curbside. This can lead to head injuries, body injuries, pain and suffering, and create fear for that person around similar circumstances.
- A cyclist, walker or runner is forced to change course abruptly because a dog is chasing them and injuring themselves. Neck and back injuries that can lead to long-term damage, muscle damage or scrapes from impact if going to the ground are injuries that can result from this type of dog attack.
If You’ve Been the Victim of a Dog Attack
If you have injuries from a dog attack, you must get medical attention immediately by a doctor. Try to write down as many detail of the attack that you can remember. Take photos of the scene, the dog and your injuries. Contact a dog attack attorney to find out if you have a case to seek damages. An experienced dog attack lawyer will evaluate your case and inform you of your options.
Remember that injuries from a dog attack when there is no bite, may take longer for you to feel them. Even minor injuries can cause you to miss work or require medical attention. For a free consultation on your dog attack case, or if you’ve been bitten by a dog, contact David J Cowhey today.
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