What Does It Mean When A Dog Owner Has Dog Bite Liability?

Liability means responsibility. All dog owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs. Most of these owners will have homeowners insurance or renters insurance that covers this.

If a dog injured you or a loved one first step is to contact animal control to make a report. Then seek medical attention and contact me, attorney Kristina Ducas, to arrange a free consultation. At The Ducos Law Firm, LLC, you’ll receive personal attention and an immediate response from me within 24 hours of your inquiry

Why Do Dog Attacks Happen?

Dog attacks and injuries caused by unleashed, uncontrolled, unsupervised canines occur frequently in Atlanta. Georgia law holds canine owners liable for injuries caused, but local county ordinances also hold owners to additional duties. Most of the time an animal attacks because it was ill-trained, not restrained, is guarding a toy or food, or is fearful, anxious or aggressive. Dogs that bite once are more likely to bite again. Often the severity of the bite will increase with each incident. This is why it is important to document every incident with a report from animal control and photos.

When A Dog Bite A Child’s Face

Dog bites to the face, especially to a child’s face, are a serious matter for several reasons. These include:

1. A child’s face is full of tiny nerves. Once these are severed, they may not regenerate.
2. Facial tissue is tender and requires expert repair. More often than not more than one surgery by a skilled plastic surgeon is needed. This is incredibly expensive.
3. The face is more sensitive than other parts of the body. These bites are painful.
4. Puncture wounds, because they are deep and caused by teeth containing bacteria, are more likely to become infected. These wounds MUST be cleansed by a medical professional.
5. Because the brain is so close to the face, the potential for rabies is imminent. This means you MUST contain the animal to test for rabies.

Dogs can bite hands, legs and ankles, anywhere. Any time there is a puncture to the skin it is important to be examined by a doctor. Contact animal control to contain the animal to ensure it is vaccinated and can be observed. As an experienced attorney who exclusively handles personal injury cases, I am here to help. Get answers to all of your injury questions.

Dog Bites Can Cause Permanent Scarring

Dog bites often create wide and jagged tears in the flesh that result in raised and highly-visible permanent scars. This is particularly concerning when the bites occur on the victim’s face. Scar revision can be costly and might require multiple surgeries. Even if the scars can be lessened, they may remain a permanent visual reminder of the attack. An experienced dog bit attorney can help you recover damages for the lasting affects of such injuries.

What To Know About Rabies

Thankfully, rabies is uncommon in Georgia. But it is not unheard of. Each year in the United States, over 60 dogs test positive for rabies. Each year one or two people in the United States die from untreated rabies.

NOTE: Rabies is ALWAYS fatal if left untreated. ALWAYS. If someone is bitten, it is extremely important to get the rabies vaccine RIGHT AWAY. The vaccine is given in the upper arm in three doses. One is given as soon as possible. Then two more shots are given a few days apart. Rabies vaccination shots can often times be expensive. Consulting a personal injury attorney can help navigate the process. Call us today.

Experience The Ducos Difference In Representation

After containing the animal and seeing a doctor, the next step is to understand the dog owner’s liability. Let’s talk about what you need to do after a serious dog bite in a free consultation: 678-981-7971. You can also connect with me online. Serving the legal needs of injured clients throughout the state of Georgia as well as North Carolina and Florida.