A two-year-old girl in Columbus is recovering after a ferocious dog bite involving a Rottweiler. Unfortunately, dog bite attacks are all too common today. As a personal injury attorney who has regularly handled dog bite cases, I know that these animal attacks often result in serious and permanent personal injury to the victims. There have been a number of dog bite incidents which have resulted in the wrongful death of the individual.
The attack occurred on Friday afternoon, when the toddler was walking home with her grandmother.She saw the dog behind a fence, and wanted to play with it.By the time the grandmother could reach the little girl, she had already opened the door, and was playing with the dog.The animal attacked her, leaving her with several bite wounds and ripping off part of her scalp.
The toddler had to be rushed to the hospital, where doctors worked to reattach her scalp.She needed several skin grafts.She’s also expected to require more surgery to sew more skin back on.Police don’t expect to file any charges at this point.The dog has been taken into animal control’s custody.
Every year, approximately 4.7 million people suffer dog bites in the United States.Of these, one in six bites is serious enough to require hospitalization.Not surprisingly, children are the most frequent victims of dog bites in the US.Little children may lack an appreciation of the dangers that any animal can pose, and the result is often an attack that can leave a child traumatized, possibly for life.
A dog bite attack can last for just a few seconds, but can leave a child severely injured and traumatized.Most injuries leave victims with lacerations, abrasions, and puncture wounds.In a serious dog bite, a victim may have pieces of skin and scalp ripped off, or ears bitten off.
Treatment after a dog bite can mean not just emergency treatment, but also cosmetic surgeries.The most lasting injuries however, may not be physical, but emotional.A dog bite can be severely traumatic, and leave a victim with a lifelong fear of animals.Victims may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder.Post traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a condition that develops after an individual has been faced with a life-threatening situation, like an accident, natural disaster or an animal attack.Victims of PTSD suffer from nightmares, difficulty in concentration, depression, flashbacks, stress and social withdrawal.
In fact, the extent of treatment that a person requires after a dog bite, may only be evident months after the attack when the severity of the damage becomes really clear.For instance, if the injuries have damaged any nerves, there may be permanent or debilitating injuries, or even disability.Such injuries impact a person’s ability to earn a living, or return to his former job.A Georgia dog bite claim must take into account all these future complications.That’s why it’s necessary to have a doctor assess your physical condition and future medical complications before you file a claim.
The Atlanta dog bite lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons who have been injured in dog bite attacks in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.If you have been injured in a dog bite, speak with an experienced dog bite lawyer at our firm.