Top Five Dog Bite Injuries In Ohio

January 17, 2023 | Personal Injury

Some dog bite incidents are little more than annoying. However, most cause serious injuries. In fact, animal attacks prompt about 1,000 Americans to visit hospital emergency rooms every day. Ohio dog bite victims, like victims in most other states, have several legal options. All these options have some pros and cons, which is one reason it’s so important for an experienced lawyer to evaluate your case.

A Columbus personal injury lawyer does much more than evaluate your case and lay out your legal options. Attorneys also collect evidence that supports your claim and refutes insurance company defenses, like provocation. Furthermore, lawyers put everything together, like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, to determine a fair settlement value (asking price) for your claim. Finally, when the case goes to court, attorneys advocate for victims.

Broken Bones

When a large dog, like a rottweiler, knocks over a vulnerable victim, like a child or old person, the victim usually sustains serious broken bones.

Normally, these injuries are permanent, at least to an extent. When children break bones, their bodies often don’t develop properly as they grow. When adults break bones, especially in a shoulder or other joint, they often permanently lose some range of motion. Furthermore, these victims are more susceptible to future issues, like frozen shoulder.

Head Injuries

We still haven’t reached the injuries that dog bites themselves often cause. Generally, knockdowns also cause serious head injuries.

Like broken bones, these injuries are permanent. A combination of therapy and surgery makes head injury symptoms, like headaches and mood swings, more manageable. However, the injuries themselves are permanent. Dead brain cells never regenerate.

Additionally, many victims sustain head injuries before they hit the ground. A sudden fall causes the brain to slam against the insides of the skull.

Internal Injuries

When dogs bite, their teeth usually cause deep puncture wounds which pierce internal organs. Kidneys, livers, and other internal organs don’t have protective skin layers. So, a slight abrasion usually causes serious bleeding.

A knockdown could also cause internal bleeding. When victims fall, internal organs grind and mash against each other. The friction causes abrasions and bleeding.

Usually, the bleeding is no more than a trickle. So, internal bleeding is hard to detect, especially for emergency responders who are more concerned with visible wounds. Tickles of blood add up quickly. So, by the time these victims reach hospitals, they may already be in hypovolemic shock.

Severe Lacerations

Before dogs’ teeth puncture internal organs, they usually cause severe tearing lacerations. Repeating a familiar theme, such injuries are normally permanent. Usually, doctors at specialty hospitals must treat these wounds. Even after this treatment, some scarring, both physical and emotional, remains.

On a related note, dog bites have very high infection rates. To obtain compensation for these injuries, a Columbus personal injury lawyer may need to file a separate legal claim.

PTSD

Speaking of emotional injuries, most victims, especially child victims, must deal with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A chemical imbalance in the brain causes this injury. Since PTSD has a chemical cause, it has a chemical solution. Children often cannot tolerate strong PTSD medication. Therefore, they must simply endure this brain injury, often for months or years.

Connect with a Tough Delaware County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Columbus, contact the Oliver Law Office. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.

Source:

dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics.php