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The phrase “man’s best friend” conjures images of people with big smiles and dogs by their side, wagging their tails. However, sometimes images are deceiving.

When a dog becomes defensive or aggressive and bites someone, it can quickly escalate into a difficult and costly situation. The most common type of animal injury that patients are treated for in emergency rooms at our nation’s hospitals is dog bites. Dog bites most often occur on a person’s arms or legs, but if a person is leaning down, or is of a shorter height, like a young child, the bite will land on the victim’s face. According to the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the face is the third most common area of the body bitten by a dog.

People need to be aware that a dog bite on the face can cause severe challenges – physically, mentally, and financially. Victims need to prepare themselves for not only multiple doctor visits, emotional pain, and suffering, but also the financial repercussions, including medical bills and lost wages.

Whether on the face or elsewhere, an individual should take the necessary steps after a dog bite for successful healing. First and foremost, they should go to the doctor to determine the severity of the wound and seek treatment.

They should also consider talking to a North Carolina dog bite lawyer as soon as possible. They need to understand the difficulties and challenges of recovering from a dog bite and the legal options available. Hiring a lawyer is the best way to ensure that those responsible for the dog are held accountable and that the victim receives compensation for the expensive injuries.

The Cost of a Dog Bite

Dog bites, especially to the face, can cost a victim thousands of dollars. The canine’s teeth can cause severe tearing and lacerations to the skin, causing heavy bleeding, soft tissue injuries, and facial nerve damage.

Dogs are strong enough to fracture bones and puncture places in the nose and nasal passages, eyes and tear ducts, ears, and mouths. If the injuries swell, other issues develop, including breathing, hearing, and seeing problems.

Injuries sustained from a dog bite to a person’s face often require an extended amount of medical treatment and could lead to multiple surgeries. According to a report released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in 2021 alone almost 19,000 people across the country needed reconstruction procedures for dog bites, due to a part of their face being “seized with the teeth of the dog.“ The surgeries focused on repairing wounds to skin, bones, tendons, nerves, vessels, muscles, or joints.

After experiencing a serious dog bite to the face and undergoing surgeries, a victim not only deals with physical injuries but also with psychological trauma. It’s crucial to ensure that mental health treatment is included in the victim’s recovery process as well.

Kids and Dog Bites

As mentioned above because of their shorter stature, younger children are at a greater risk of receiving a dog bite, and a study recently conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Orange County in California, confirmed that most of the dog bites on children were bites to the face, head, and neck.

The study included 1,000 pediatric patients who they identified as victims of dog bites from 2013 to 2018. It found children between one and five years old are most at risk for being bitten by a dog, and that “the anatomical area” on the child’s body where most bites were inflicted were on the head and neck (61.7 percent).”

Researchers also found that repair “by a surgical specialist was required twenty percent of the time, usually for bites affecting the head and neck region.”

Given these facts, those families with small children should be extra-diligent, protecting their youngsters from dangerous dogs as best they can. At the same time recognize that if their child suffers a canine face bite, they should be prepared for costly medical expenses and understand the assistance of a dog bite attorney could be extremely beneficial.

Dog Bite Challenges in North Carolina

Across the country, more than four million people are bitten by dogs each year, and of those, an estimated 800,000 must seek medical attention.

Unfortunately, at home in North Carolina, recent statistics concerning dog bites were grim. When the United States Postal Service (USPS) released its annual list concerning dog bites earlier this year, residents learned that North Carolina was one of the top ten states for dog bites on postal carriers. The USPS reported that in North Carolina, postal workers trying to deliver mail to residents were bitten 185 times (an increase of 39 incidents from the previous year).

Along with the issue of dangerous dogs, North Carolina residents should also be aware that it is not always easy to prove a dog owner is liable after their dog bites someone. While the state has dangerous dog rules, laws also include “the one bite rule’’ which says that a dog owner is typically only liable if they know the dog is aggressive. Therefore the first time a dog bites someone the owner may not be considered at fault.

Because of this, victims of a severe facial dog bite should recognize the importance of contacting an experienced North Carolina dog bite lawyer. You’ll want to consult a lawyer who has an understanding of what it takes to prove the dog owner should have known the dog had a propensity to bite and one who can advocate for the victim to receive the necessary compensation for their injuries. 

If you need a North Carolina dog bite attorney who will fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve, contact Whitley Law Firm for a free case consultation or call (919) 785-5000 for more information.

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