Dogs bite more than four and one half million Americans every year. Dog attacks can be terrifying and often result in serious injury. It is not uncommon to suffer serious cuts, bites bruises, scarring and disfigurement. Freedman Law has been helping California’s San Joaquin Valley residents by serving the Central California communities for more than twenty years. If you have been injured by a dog or attack from any type of animal, call the Fresno dog bite attorneys at Freedman Law.
California law holds the dog owners responsible for injuries to other persons in a public place or persons lawfully in a private place including the dog owner’s property regardless of whether the dog has bitten anyone before. If the dog has bit someone else before, the dog owner may be responsible for additional compensation.
How Can You Treat a Dog Bite?
According to WebMD, minor cuts and bites may be able to be treated with simple first aid. Place clean towel over the injury to stop any bleeding. Try to keep the injured area elevated. Wash the bite carefully with soap and water. Apply a sterile bandage to the wound. Antibiotic ointment should be applied every day to avoid infection. Rabies is a virus carried in the saliva of infected animals which is spread through bite of an infected animal. Cases of rabies are extremely rare with less than one thousand cases in the United States per year.
It is important to see a doctor if:
The bite is deep;
There is tearing of the skin;
You can’t stop the bleeding;
Any signs of infection, e.g. swelling, redness, area warm to the touch or pus, develop; or
The bite came from a dog you don’t know.
How Can You Avoid Being Bitten By a Dog?
More than half of all dog bites are to children between five and nine years old. It is important to keep several things in mind when young children are around a dog:
When choosing a dog, select one with a good temperament;
Do not play with a dog when she is feeding her puppies;
Do not leave young children alone with an unfamiliar dog; and
Avoid dogs you don’t know.
Contact an Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one have been harmed in a dog attack, contact our Fresno personal injury law office. All fees are contingency-based meaning that you owe us nothing if we cannot recover for you and consultations are always free.
