Protect Your Child from Dog Bite Injury

The most recent comprehensive study of dog attack injuries revealed that dogs bite approximately 4.7 million Americans every year. Of these, about 800,000 dog bite victims require medical attention. Tragically, almost half of all dog bite victims are children.

A dog bite can be a traumatic event that results in serious injury. Vicious dog attacks cause numerous deaths every year. Often a bite will result in permanent scarring, nerve damage, and a significant risk of infection. Many times, there is psychological harm that lasts well beyond the physical injury.

There are several ways to help reduce the risk of a dog bite:

• If confronted by a dog trying to sniff you, stand still, do not try to run away. Most dogs will move away after determining that you are not a

• If you feel threatened by a dog, do not run. A dog's instinct may be to give chase. Stay calm. If you speak, talk in a firm voice without screaming.

• Never interfere with a dog that is caring for its puppies.

• Never startle a dog by waking it up or throwing an object in its direction.

• Do not disturb a dog while it is eating or drinking.

• Be very mindful of your children around all dogs, including family pets. Most dog bites occur to children.

• If you think a dog may attack, remain motionless with hands at your sides. Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away until the dog is out of sight.

• If the dog does attack, "feed" the dog your jacket, purse, bicycle, or anything that you can put between yourself and the dog.

• If you fall or are knocked to the ground, curl into a ball with your hands over your ears and remain motionless. Do not scream or roll around.

Despite the best prevention, bites can occur. If a dog attacks you or your child, seek emergency medical attention immediately.

If you are bitten or attacked by a dog you should:

• Immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water.

• Contact your physician for additional care and advice. If you are in immediate medical distress, call an ambulance or go to the emergency room immediately.

• Report the attack to your local animal control agency. Tell the animal control officer everything you know about the dog, including name and address of the dog's owner.

• If the dog is a stray, you still should make a report to your local animal control agency. Tell the animal control officer what the dog looked like, where you saw it, whether you saw it before, and the direction it went after the incident.

• Contact a dog bite lawyer to determine your legal rights as a dog bite victim. Determining the value of a dog bite claim is a complicated matter. Before an attorney can engage in serious negotiations regarding settlement, it is important to assess the degree of long lasting damage. It may strengthen a claim to wait for a few months to determine the extent of any permanent scarring. An experienced attorney can advise you on the best way to proceed.