Las Vegas Dog Bite Attorney Discusses Pet Bites
The most common pet bites are from cats and dogs because these are the most typical pets. Other household pets that may be prone to bite are birds, such as parrots, toucans, and macaws, rabbits, snakes, ferrets, rats, mice, and chinchillas. Sometimes these animal bites may become infected and need medical treatment or may leave scarring. If you are bitten, you should consider hiring a dog bite lawyer.
It is always best to avoid handling another person’s pet if the animal is unfamiliar with you, and do not handle the pet unless the owner is present. When encountering a strange pet, ask the following questions:
1. Is the pet friendly?
2. Does she like being picked up? (Rabbits usually do not like this.)
3. If so, how does she like being picked up? Ask them to demonstrate for you if it makes you feel more comfortable.
4. How does she like being petted?
5. Is there anywhere she does not like to be petted?
6. Where should I put her down?
Many birds do not like you sticking fingers in their cages and may bite if you do so.
Cat Bites
There are an estimated 9.7 million cats in the U.S. Almost 1/3 of all American households have at least one pet cat. Although dog bites get more attention, there are approximately 400,000 reported cat bites per year in the U.S. with an estimated 66,000 emergency room visits due to cat bite injuries. Some reports show 50% of all cat bites become infected. This is due to the fact that cats carry a certain bacteria in their mouths, and they have very sharp teeth. Also, cats carry rabies which can be fatal in humans if left untreated.
Dog bites
About 1/3 of American households have a dog, thus it is not surprising that there is one dog bite every 30 seconds in the U.S. Dog bites make for interesting injury claims. Half of all dog bite victims are between the ages of 5 and 9 years old and scarring, especially facial scars, must be taken into account in seeking damages. Particular attention must be paid to young victims because most bites to children occur in the head, neck, and face. Approximately one billion dollars in medical bills is spent each year treating dog bites, and roughly 25% of all child dog bite victims require a visit to the Emergency Room. Some dog bites are so severe that they require multiple surgeries to repair. Approximately 26,000 cosmetic surgeries are performed each year to attempt to repair dog bite injuries.
Dog bites often carry more emotional trauma than other pet bites because the person bitten/attacked is oftentimes familiar with the dog. In addition to physical injuries, all victims of dog bites may suffer emotional issues, such as:
Difficulty sleeping
Nightmares
Fear of animals, especially dogs
Anxiety
Sudden mood changes
Lack of appetite
PTSD in very serious cases
Notably, these symptoms may not immediately appear after the attack. They may show up after days, weeks, or months.
If you have been bitten and are in need of assistance, please call a Las Vegas personal injury attorney at Hinds Injury Law Las Vegas now for a free, confidential case review, or send us a message on our contact form here.
For more information on how https://hindsinjurylawlasvegas.com/ can help you with Dog bites, please contact us at (702) 940-1234, or visit us here:
Hinds Injury Law Las Vegas
600 S 8th St Suite 140, Las Vegas, NV 89101