Dogs truly can be man’s best friend. Whether it is always having someone excited when you walk in the door, or it is your kids biggest play buddy, dogs can be a lot of fun in the family home. Many times, we grow so accustomed to our family dogs, we let them jump all over us and sometimes even lick us. Particularly for children, growing so fond of their own family pet can often lead to them acting that way towards strangers dogs, who may not be as desiring of the extra attention.
Dog bites are extremely common today, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 4.7 million dog bites annually. Out of these millions of bites, there are around 800,000 cases of which victims are sent to the hospital for treatment, 386,000 require emergency care for their injuries and around 16 people are actually killed as a result. Fortunately the number of deaths is not too high, though 16 is still 16 too many.
According to the CDC, many injuries that occur are easily preventable, and with a little education, there may be an increased possibility of you or your children avoiding a bite. For example, a nine year old boy in England was recently attacked by a dog and is left with terrible injuries, including a chunk of his lip being ripped out. According to the Cambridge News, his mother is now worried that the police aren’t going to take the necessary actions to have the dog put to sleep because of the attack, in fear that another child may have the same fate.
If you or someone you know has been attacked by a dog, you have rights as an individual to receive compensation for your injuries, as well as fight to have justice taken on the animal who attacked. At Shea & Shea we have years of experience helping clients who have been victims of a variety of personal injuries, including dog bites, and we want to fight for you. Like that little boy, no person deserves to be attacked and according to the mom, had the dog been properly tied up this incident would have never happened.
According to the Department of Animal Care & Control, there are laws regarding leashes for dogs, and that means that no dog is allowed to be out and about without a leash, ever. It is important for owners to realize that even when their pet is sweet and kind in their own home, anything may set them on edge and encourage them to attack an innocent passerby. Contact our law office if you know someone who was injured by a dog because they were not tied up, or otherwise acting out of control. We want to fight for you and help see to it that your rights are well represented. Call us today for more information!