Oh, Don’t Worry…They Won’t Bite. Dog Bite Injuries Are Serious.

Oh, Don’t Worry…They Won’t Bite. Dog Bite Injuries Are Serious.

Between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010, 799 dog bites were reported to Florida Department of Health in Bay County.

Dog bite injuries are dramatic events, which like any incident, could have been avoided. But just like any accident, it still happens… so you’ve been bitten. Now what??

If bitten, the Florida Department of Health recommends that you:

  • Control bleeding and wash the area of the bite with soap and water.
  • Report the bite to your local county health department, animal control agency, or police.
  • Seek medical attention immediately.

However, recovering from the bite is just the first layer of what is your everyday life after being bitten by a dog. Dog bite injuries are not only physically damaging, but are frequently traumatizing accidents that might isolate the victim from his loved ones. Indeed, bite injuries often involve dogs known to the victim and his or her relatives. The incident is more likely to divide people, adding even more stress on the victim.

We could argue on the questions of the breed, the way one is educating his/her dog, or even the whole concept of domesticated animals. We could. But if dogs can’t be changed by legislations, owners’ behavior can. If there is one thing to blame, it is the the irresponsible dog owners out there. You’ve known that dog. The animal used to be friendly and harmless until these fatidic seconds when everything changed for the worse.

Of course, some dog bite incidents are dramatically serious and we all have example of fatal accidents in mind. Remember, if you or one of your loved ones were bitten by a dog, you should always report the incident.

Size Doesn’t Matter

Always report a dog bite incident regardless of the dog and/or wound size. Even if the bite looks like nothing to you, remember that the most common problem following an animal bite is simple infection. Surprisingly (not), a dog’s mouth is rich in bacteria and it is estimated that only 15-20% of dog bites become infected. Which is 15-20% too many.

By reporting the incident, you make sure to teach the owner something precious. Some people are just not responsible enough to own dogs but they have to take the consequences. Leave no place to embarrassment or pride here. You are not being tough by not reporting the bite because “it was not that bad”. You might help identifying an aggressive dog made this way by his owner’s poor decisions and have them on record.

If you or your loved ones were bitten in the area of Tampa Bay, treat yourself to much needed legal assistance and contact one of our personal injury lawyers at John Bales Attorneys.

Our team of professional attorneys in Tampa will guide you through the steps of getting the compensation you deserve.

After such a traumatizing incident, the last thing you want is having to deal with paperwork, insurances and legal procedures. But guess what? This is actually our area of expertise and our passion for a living.

John Bales Attorneys will help you with any personal injury case and fight so you can focus on the recovery part of this sad story.