According to the CDC, or the Centers for Disease Control, 4.5 million Americans are bitten annually in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 5 of those injured by dogs requires medical attention and approximately 30,000 people bitten each year require surgery for their injuries. Every 75 seconds someone is bitten by a dog in United States and over 1,000 of those bitten daily require emergency care. Dog bites can cause minor or major injuries and may lead to nerve and tissue damage, permanent disfigurement, psychological trauma and even death.

Children aged 5 to 9 years old have the highest incidence of dog bite injuries. People living with dogs have a higher incidence of dog bites and households with 2 or more dogs are 5 times more likely to report a dog bite injury than households without dogs as pets. Postal workers, especially mail carriers, have a high risk of sustaining a dog bite and among adults men are more likely than women to be attacked by canines. The Insurance Information Institute reports that insurance companies pay over $300 million out on dog liability claims annually and that the average cost of treating a dog bite is almost $25,000.

Clearly dog bites can be very serious and result in severe injuries and medical conditions that can last for years. Those bitten by stray dogs are more likely to be exposed to dangerous diseases and bacteria but even domestic dogs can harbor the same troubling viruses that are very difficult to identify without proper medical assistance. Additionally, scarring, medical expenses and mental health expenses due to trauma can accumulate after a dog bite incident and become overwhelming to the victim.

If you or a loved one has had the misfortune to be bitten by a dog it is essential to act immediately to seek medical attention. Talk to the physician about your situation and be sure to follow all medical instructions to the letter after initial treatment. After or simultaneous with seeking medical attention conduct a search to find the owner of the dog who attacked and obtain all vital information such as address, phone number and insurance providers from the pet owner. Photograph and document the injuries and any damages from the dog attack then inform the local animal welfare association of the offending dog, whether stray or domestically owned.

Once the victim has been treated medically, the guilty dog’s owner has been found and the animal welfare agencies notified take all documentation of the dog bite injury to and experienced and professional dog bite lawyer. These attorneys are invaluable in helping victims to negotiate with insurance companies and recover appropriate financial compensation for the losses caused by the dog bite injury.