St. Louis Personal Injury Attorney Discusses Dog Bite Injuries

Dog bites can cause serious injuries. Each year in the United States dog attack victims suffer financial losses in the form of medical, insurance, and legal costs. Around 77% of these injuries result from a dog that belongs to the victim's friend or family.

If you have been injured by a dog, there three causes of actions that you can bring to recover for your injuries:

• Common Law Negligence
• Strict Liability
• Premises Liability

Facts About Dog Attacks

• One out of every six (around 800,000 dog bites) per year are serious enough to require medical attention.
• Nearly 2% of the US population (around 4.7 million) people suffer dog bites annually.
• In US, each year, every individual has a one in fifty chance of getting bit by a dog.
• 61% of the dog attacks happen at home or in a known place.
• Dog bites send almost 1,000 people per day to emergency rooms.
• Dog bites are the second most frequent cause of emergency room visits of the 9 causes among children.

The most dangerous dogs

According to one study, Rottweilers, Presa Canerios, and Pit Bulls and their mixes are especially dangerous and responsible for around 74 percent of the dog attacks. They are responsible for 68 percent of the attacks on children and 82 percent of the attacks on adults. 65 percent of the dog bite related deaths are also caused by these breeds.

What to do after a dog attack

• Get medical treatment: By getting prompt medical attention you reduce the risk of getting scars.
• Take photographs of your injuries: Photographs can help recover full compensation for your injuries and pain and suffering.
• Do not give recorded statement to insurer or sign any documents: Make sure not to give any recorded statement or evidence to the insurance company of the defendant before consulting your St. Louis personal injury lawyer. You should instead focus on recovering from the injuries. Also, do not sign any of the forms or medical authorizations that the insurance company brings.

Do you need legal help?

If your dog bite injuries are serious enough to warrant emergency room visit, then chances are that you have a dog bite case. You should consult a St. Louis dog bite lawyer. Such cases have a stipulation known as a statute of limitations that necessitates that you file the suit within a certain period of time. Any delay could jeopardize your right to financial compensation.

Call (314) 361-4300 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann.