Following a dog bite injury of any severity, you will require medical care and you may deserve compensation.
Most people would not hesitate to contact a lawyer if they or their loved one suffered a serious dog bite injury resulting in deep punctures and torn flesh. However, in the case of less serious bite, there may be a tendency to downplay the incident. The victim might assume that a small injury will heal on its own and they might not even get medical care, much less consult a dog bite injury attorney about the incident.
This would be a mistake.
It is always a good idea to seek medical care and legal advice following a dog bite injury, even if the injury does not appear serious.
Why? Two reasons:
- Even a small bite carries a risk of infection. Any time a dog’s teeth break the skin—even if it is just a small puncture from a nip or one tiny scrape from the edge of a tooth—there is a risk of bacteria in the dog’s saliva causing an infection. Serious complications may result, especially if the infection is allowed to continue untreated. If any signs of swelling or inflammation around the site of the bite injury appear, this is a clear sign that infection is present and medical treatment must be sought.
- Even if the skin is not broken, there may be an injury. In cases where the dog bite did not actually break the skin, victims may be even less likely to see a doctor. This can be a problem because there can be tissue damage even if the skin is not broken. Bruising, internal bleeding, and other types of damage can be very painful so this type of injury should not be dismissed or downplayed. By seeing the doctor, you can get official documentation of your symptoms which will help support any future efforts to secure compensation for your suffering via a dog bite injury claim.
Why Consult a Dog Bite Injury Attorney
Even if you have suffered a minor physical injury, you may still have significant pain as well as emotional trauma. This deserves compensation, assuming that the incident stemmed from some act of negligence on the dog owner or handler’s part. By visiting an experienced dog bite injury attorney such as Michael A. Kahn promptly after the incident, you can get advice about the merits of your case and assistance in building the evidence necessary to pursue full and fair compensation.
